Malda hospital protest: 8-year-old's death sparks negligence row
Synopsis
An eight-year-old girl died en route to Malda Medical College after her family says the duty doctor at Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital referred her without any treatment. The death triggered an immediate protest at the facility, a written complaint against the doctor, and renewed demands for accountability in West Bengal's government hospitals.
Key Takeaways
An eight-year-old girl from the Harishchandrapur area died on Tuesday, 11 August , while being transferred from Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital to Malda Medical College and Hospital .
Her family alleges that duty doctor Soumen Sau referred her without providing any treatment.
Maternal uncle Pradeep Das also alleged that the doctor misbehaved with family members when they tried to file a complaint.
A written complaint has been filed against Dr Sau, who has denied all allegations, calling them 'completely false' .
Police were deployed at the hospital to control the protest; other patients' families also demanded better care at government facilities.
Protests erupted at Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital in Malda district, West Bengal, on Tuesday, 11 August, after an eight-year-old girl died on her way to a referral facility, with her family alleging that the doctor on duty failed to provide treatment before transferring her. Police were deployed to bring the situation under control.
What Happened
The deceased girl resided in the Harishchandrapur police station area and had been suffering from fever for two days. As her condition worsened, her family brought her to Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital, where she was admitted to the paediatric department.
Her family alleged that the doctor on duty, Soumen Sau, referred the child to Malda Medical College and Hospital without administering any treatment. The girl died en route to the referral hospital on Tuesday.
Family's Allegations
Following her death, family members staged a protest at the hospital, confronting doctors, the hospital's assistant superintendent, and other authorities. The deceased girl's maternal uncle, Pradeep Das, alleged that the child was referred without receiving any medical care.
Das further claimed that when family members attempted to file a complaint, Dr Soumen Sau allegedly misbehaved with them. A written complaint has since been filed against the doctor.
Doctor's Response
Dr Soumen Sau denied the allegations, telling local media that the negligence charges were 'completely false'. He also shifted responsibility for the incident to the hospital authorities, without elaborating further.
Broader Concerns
The incident has once again placed the functioning of government hospitals and the conduct of doctors under scrutiny in West Bengal. Families of other patients at the hospital used the occasion to demand improved standards of treatment at public health facilities, particularly in the context of the state's political transition. This comes amid a series of incidents in recent months that have raised questions about accountability in government-run hospitals across the state.
With a written complaint now on record and police having intervened, it remains to be seen whether a formal inquiry is ordered into the circumstances surrounding the child's death and referral.
Point of View
It signals that existing complaint channels are either unknown or perceived as ineffective. The duty doctor's counter-claim that responsibility lies with hospital authorities, rather than engaging with the specific allegation of referral without treatment, does little to restore confidence. State health administrators would do well to treat this as a trigger for transparent inquiry rather than a law-and-order problem to be managed by police deployment.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital in Malda?
An eight-year-old girl was admitted to the paediatric department of Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital in Malda on 11 August after suffering from fever for two days. Her family alleges that duty doctor Soumen Sau referred her to Malda Medical College without providing treatment, and she died en route to the referral hospital.
What allegations have been made against the doctor?
The girl's maternal uncle, Pradeep Das, alleged that Dr Soumen Sau referred the child without administering any treatment and subsequently misbehaved with family members when they attempted to file a complaint. A written complaint has been lodged against the doctor.
How did the doctor respond to the negligence charges?
Dr Soumen Sau denied all allegations, telling local media that the negligence charges were 'completely false'. He also indicated that responsibility for the incident lay with the hospital authorities rather than with him personally.
What action has been taken so far?
Police were deployed at Chanchal Super Speciality Hospital to control the protest and brought the situation under control. A written complaint has been filed against the duty doctor. No formal inquiry or suspension has been publicly announced as of the latest reports.
Why does this incident matter beyond the individual case?
The death has reignited debate about accountability and standards of care in West Bengal's government hospitals. Other patients' families at the hospital used the occasion to demand better treatment, reflecting wider dissatisfaction with public health infrastructure in the state.
