Doctors' strike: Family protests with girl's body in Puttur

Mangaluru: Family members of a girl, who died allegedly due to non-availability of medical treatment, protested by placing her body near Mini Vidhana Soudha at Puttur on Friday. 

They also submitted a memorandum to the assistant commissioner. 

The victim, Pooja Acharya (18) of Kabaka village in Puttur Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, was studying at Vivekananda College in Puttur.

In the memorandum submitted to the Assistant Commissioner, the girl’s mother, Geetha Acharya, held the government responsible for her daughter’s death. “Forty-two people across the state have died because of the protest by private doctors. The chief minister has remained is silent on this issue. Pooja had to undergo dialysis twice a week. But because of the strike, she could not undergo dialysis. The government has taken the life of my daughter. I request the government to intervene and provide proper compensation," she stated in the letter. 

Pooja's relative Devdas said that the girl went to a private hospital in Mangaluru two days ago, but had to return home as doctors were not available. 

"On Friday early morning, she developed complications and was rushed to a private hospital in Puttur, but the doctors were on protest. She was taken to a government hospital, but she did not survive," he said. 

The District Health Officer clarified that he was unaware that the girl had been taken to a private hospital before she was brought to the government hospital. “The girl was taking dialysis at our Taluk Hospital. She had received it on November 14 and was to take it on Friday too. But she developed complications on Friday morning. She was brought dead to our hospital," he said.