SAMBALPUR: Until a fortnight ago, 24-year-old Sanket Sahoo was slowly piecing together a future he hoped would ease his family’s burden after years of struggle. Today, his grieving family is left grappling with unanswered questions after the young man’s death reportedly due to complications following a minor nasal surgery at VIMSAR in Burla.
On May 13, Sanket was admitted to VIMSAR for a minor ENT surgery. Days later, he ended up battling for life in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. “My brother died due to medical negligence. He was absolutely fine until the day of the surgery. When his condition started deteriorating, the VIMSAR authorities did not provide us a referral letter.
We repeatedly sought details of his treatment, but were not given the treatment summary. He fought for his life on a ventilator for nine days before eventually losing the battle,” alleged his sister Rojanjali Sahoo.
The only son among three siblings, Sanket carried the hopes of his ageing parents. Having completed his graduation in 2019 and later earned a B.Ed degree, he spent his days taking tuition classes and doing part-time work while searching for a stable permanent job. Sanket was undergoing training at the Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) as an apprentice.
Amid the widespread outrage over his death on Monday, the district administration has announced assistance for the bereaved family. While `1 lakh has already been provided to the family, a proposal for `4 lakh compensation from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund has been submitted. The administration has also assured a house and employment support for Sanket’s unmarried sister Rojanjali. An independent inquiry has also been promised even as a committee constituted earlier continues its investigation into the circumstances leading to the youth’s death.
But for Sanket’s family, compensation alone cannot fill the void left behind. The young man they had hoped would rebuild the family’s future is gone. What remains now is a demand to bring to light the circumstances leading to his death, Rojanjali said while doctors at the private hospital did not offer false hope and informed the family that the chances of recovery were slim, they continue to struggle to understand what caused the sudden deterioration in Sanket’s condition after the procedure at VIMSAR.
“We have lost faith in the government healthcare system. We want the administration to take strong action against those responsible,” she said.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Sambalpur collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar visited VIMSAR and reviewed its operation theatre management and infection-control protocols. During the inspection, he directed hospital authorities to strengthen preventive measures and ensure that such incidents do not recur.
The review comes amid growing concerns over patient safety, with sources claiming that two other patients have died and several more have suffered serious post-operative complications following minor surgical procedures at the hospital in recent months.