ANGUL/ BHUBANESHWAR: Two health officials were suspended in Odisha's Angul district in connection with an incident where a man had to carry the body of his 5-year-old daughter on his shoulder from a government hospital after she died there.
The minor girl died allegedly while undergoing treatment at the healthcare facility on Tuesday.
The sub-divisional medical officer (SDMO) and the senior medical officer have been placed under suspension by the state health department in connection with the incident that took place at Pallahara hospital, said district collector Anil Samal on Sunday.
A staff nurse was also suspended on Saturday for alleged dereliction of duty, while a junior hospital manager has been placed under suspension and a security guard had been disengaged earlier, said the SDMO.
The incident which took place on Tuesday was similar to that of a tribal man, Dana Majhi, who had to carry his wife's body on his shoulder for 10 km from a government hospital at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district last year after failing to get a hearse.
The action by the health department came after the incident, which went viral on social media and local news channels, triggered widespread criticism.
The man, identified as Gati Dhibar of Pechamundi village said he had requested the hospital authorities to help take his daughter's body from the hospital to his native place, about 15 km away, but did not get any.
The minor girl died allegedly while undergoing treatment at the healthcare facility on Tuesday.
The incident took place despite the state government last year launching 'Mahaprayan' scheme to provide facilities at district headquarters hospitals and medical colleges to carry the bodies of patients after their death from the hospital to their home.