Palghar snake-bite tragedy case: Health in-charge faces axe

The medical officer of the Khodala Primary Healthcare Centre PHC in Palghar district where a sevenyearold tribal girl diedmdashallegedly because he misdiagnosed the snakebite case last weekmdashis likely to face a departmental crackdown as the district health office has written to the principal secretary health to suspend himThe Additional District Health Officer Dr Sagar Patil told midday that the medical officer Dr Swapnil Wagh misdiagnosed the case and in the wake of chaos in the district following this newspaperrsquos report he ldquowent on leave without even informing his superiorsrdquoThe incharge of the Khodala PHC Dr Pushpa Mathure was already on a weeklong leave when the incident took place said the Taluka Health Officer THO Dr Bhausaheb ChattarThe childrsquos parents at their home at Sayde Borichiwadi in Palhgar districtrsquos Mokhada taluka PicsHanif PatelThe girl Chhaya Bhoye was playing in a field near her house in Mokhada taluka on May 16 when she was bitten by a venomous snake She was rushed to the Khodala PHC located hardly five km away but the onduty medical officer Dr Wagh administered her first aid saying she could have been injured by glass shards Her parents then took her back to their village Sayde Borichiwadi where her condition deterioratedDr Patil told midday ldquoThe girl was again brought to the PHC after she fell unconscious During our internal investigation we learnt that Dr Wagh did not administer any medicine Instead he arranged for an ambulance and referred the girl child to the Rural Hospital in Mokhada No doctor was sent to observe the minorrdquoAlso read Maharashtra 7yearold girl dies of snake bite after health centre snubs her in PalgharAfter midday highlighted the incident on May 19 Dr Wagh disappeared and he did not report to the PHC A local MLA also visited the PHC following middayrsquos reportSheru Wagh of the MarxistLeninist Party of India Red FlagldquoDr Wagh was not present on Friday and Saturday He did not even inform anyone His cellphone was also switched off when the MLA visited the PHCrdquo Dr Patil saidldquoSo we have written a letter to the principal secretary health explaining everything relevant to the matter requesting that the medical officer be suspendedrdquo he addedmidday tried to reach out to Dr Wagh but he did not respond to the calls and messagesMeanwhile the deceased girlrsquos parents and relatives as well as activists staged a protest at the PHC demanding the immediate suspension of its medical officer as well as the inchargeSheru Wagh the district committee secretary of the MarxistLeninist Party of India Red Flag said ldquoWe have been demanding the immediate suspension of Dr Wagh and Dr Mathure I request the police to file an FIR against them as a tribal girl died due to their negligencerdquoDr Chattar said ldquoWe have three medical officers at the PHC and all are MBBS degree holders We have antivenom at the PHC as every month around five such cases are reported to usrdquoHe added ldquoDr Mathure was on a weeklong leave from May 13 to 20 When the girl was brought to the PHC she was not symptomatic So she was kept under observation at the centre but her parents took her away and when she was again brought to the PHC her condition was not good as her veins had collapsed Since her veins were not detected Dr Wagh immediately referred her to Rural Hospital but she died on the wayrdquoA police team was also present when the girlrsquos relatives and activists were protesting at the PHC The Mokhada police are looking into the accidental case report ADR registered in connection with the deathSanjaykumar Brahamne the incharge of Mokhada police station said ldquoWe have recorded the statement of her parents who told us that the doctor did not diagnose the snake bite which led to the death of their sevenyearold daughter We have spoken to Dr Wagh who told us that the test to detect a snake bite had been conducted at the hospital and the report was negativerdquoAsked if an FIR would be registered Brahamne said ldquoHe Dr Wagh is a medical officer So we are waiting for the report of the medical committee which has been formed to look into the matter internally If it comes to the conclusion in its report that the girl died due to the doctorrsquos negligence we will register an FIR The report is awaited but we are conducting an investigation based on the ADRrdquo7Age of deceased child Chhaya Bhoye