‘No junior doctors here’: Deceased boy’s family refuses compensation by West Bengal govt

PTI, 16 September, 2024, Kolkata :  Turning down the compensation of Rs 2 lakh, the family of a 10-year-old boy who died at a state-run hospital in Dakshin Dinajpur district rejected the West Bengal government’s claim that the ongoing agitation of the junior doctors caused his death.

Shivam Sharma, a class 3 student, was injured in a road accident, following which he was taken to the Balurghat hospital. His family alleged that he died there due to the negligence of a senior physician who despite being on duty was late in attending him.

“There are no junior doctors at this hospital. And he died on August 12, three days after the incident at the RG Kar hospital when the agitation by the junior doctors was at a nascent stage. So any claim that he was a victim of junior doctors’ cease work is wrong,” said Shivam’s uncle Anand Sharma.

Shivam died as the senior medic on duty did not attend him on time, he alleged.

“Instead of passing the buck, the authorities must take action against the senior physician whose negligence took away a precious life,” he said.

Turning down the compensation offered by the state government, he said, “We want action against the guilty, not monetary help.” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced that the state government would pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 29 people who died allegedly after not getting treatment due to the ongoing cease work of the junior doctors. Shivam was among them.

Officers of the state Health Department could not be reached for comment.