NASHIK: Concerns over student safety and healthcare facilities in Ashram schools have resurfaced after an eight-year-old tribal girl died while undergoing treatment after falling ill at a school in Kalwan taluka.
Tribal students across the state have previously staged protests over poor conditions in Ashram schools, which are residential schools for tribal students, and hostels. While incidents such as the snakebite case in Gadchiroli and the food poisoning case in Amravati remain fresh in public memory, another incident has now come to light in Nashik.
Srushti Omkar Suryavanshi, a student of the Government Visapur Ashram School in Visarwadi, Kalwan taluka, died while undergoing treatment. The incident has caused concern across Nashik district and within the Tribal Development Department.
According to available information, Srushti had been suffering from a high fever for the past two days. On Thursday, the school administration took her to a local hospital for primary treatment and brought her back to the school. However, her condition deteriorated suddenly on Friday, and she was taken for further treatment. After returning from the hospital, she vomited and subsequently stopped breathing.
As her vomiting intensified, the administration rushed her to the Sub-District Hospital, where she died during treatment. Demands are now being raised for an inquiry into the exact cause of death and whether there was any negligence in her medical care.
The Suryavanshi family is devastated by the untimely death of their eight-year-old daughter. The incident has once again highlighted concerns regarding Ashram schools and healthcare facilities in tribal areas.
“The girl was studying in the second standard and had a mild fever on Wednesday, Sep 2. She was treated for fever at the school level. On Sep 3, her fever worsened and she was referred to the primary health centre in Mokbhanagi. When she returned, she started feeling like vomiting and was given medicine at the school level. She was feeling better and was in class. Around 8 pm or 9 pm, the fever returned and at around 12.30 am she started vomiting. The school administration referred her to the Sub-District Hospital. When she reached the hospital around 1.45 am, doctors declared her dead on arrival. There was no negligence on the part of the school administration. The primary cause of death has not yet been established. She has been referred to the District Hospital for further procedures.”
Dr Kashmira Sankhe, Assistant Collector, Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Project Officer, Kalwan, Nashik
