ONGOLE: A destitute family’s crisis took a tragic turn after the mother died while undergoing treatment at Ongole Government General Hospital (GGH) and her husband fled with their 3-year-old son, leaving the body in the hospital mortuary as they lack means for a proper cremation.
The deceased, Ponnam Durgamma, and her husband Ponnam Polaiah, from Kothapatnam, survived by collecting scrap materials and had no permanent residence. Durgamma had been in poor health since the birth of their son and was admitted to GGH (RIMS) by ANM D Ratna Kumari and ASHA worker Yasoda. She died on May 24.
Unable to afford the final rites, Polaiah left the hospital with their son. The hospital kept the body in the mortuary while ANM D Ratna Kumari and ASHA worker Yasoda began searching for the family. With the help of an NGO, they traced them to Kavali and brought them back to Ongole on Wednesday.
Polaiah expressed his inability to conduct the cremation or care for the child. With his consent, the body was donated to the hospital’s anatomy department after discussions with Dr Ch Sudhakar Babu, HoD of Anatomy and former principal of Ongole Medical College.
The little boy’s innocent gestures and bowing of gratitude towards officials. The child was admitted to the State children’s home with approval from the District Child Welfare Committee, following coordination between District Child Protection Officer P Dinesh Kumar, Women and Child Welfare Project Director B Henna Sujan, and APSCPCR member B Padmavati.