After delivering a stillborn child, a Class 7 girl in Odisha tribal hostel dies

Officials of Odisha’s Kandhamal district told that a Class 7 girl studying in a tribal residential school in Odisha’s Kandhamal district died on Thursday, a day after she delivered a stillborn baby. The girl, who studied in an ashram school of Kandhamal run by the SC/ST department, was kept in an childcare institution of the district after she was found pregnant on 23 September. She went into labour on 5 October and an ambulance was called as there was no emergency service at the child care institution. By the time ambulance arrived, the girl already gave birth to a stillborn.Kandhamal district child protection officer Rashmita Karan said both the mother and child were rushed to the nearest community health centre, but on arrival, doctors declared the baby dead. She said, “On Thursday night, the girl’s condition suddenly deteriorated and doctors immediately referred her to the district headquarters hospital at Phulbani. But before an ambulance could be arranged, she died.”The hostel warden was dismissed over her negligence of duty and a case was registered in a local police station afternoon it was found that the girl was four months pregnant.Police has also detained a Class 10th student of another residential school in this regard.The family members or the girl and other community members alleged negligence and asked that why the girl was brought back from MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur town if her condition was not stable.Rabindra Kumar Mishra, a Berhampur-based social activist, has filed a petition before the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) regarding high number of pregnancies among tribal girls in residential schools in a district like Kandhamal. Also, former MLA Karendra Majhi said the district administration was responsible for the girl’s death and demanded ₹20 lakh compensation for the family.