BALASORE: Even as the government has launched Mahaprayan scheme to transport bodies from state-run hospitals free of cost, people continue to suffer due to absence of hearse in remote areas of the State.
In a fresh incident, a 35-year-old tribal man was forced to carry his son’s body on a trolley rickshaw from Nilagiri sub-divisional hospital (SDH) on Sunday as he could not get any support from the hospital authorities.
While he feigned ignorance about the scheme, health officials allegedly tried to hush up the matter after local mediapersons brought the issue to their notice.
Sources said Sunaram Singh of Ward 11 in Nilagiri NAC had admitted his son Krishna (6) in Nilagiri SDH in a critical condition after he was bitten by a poisonous snake while he was asleep. He, however, succumbed while undergoing treatment.
Sunaram said after post-mortem when he approached the doctor, who treated his son, to arrange a vehicle to carry Krishna’s body, he allegedly refused saying no vehicle was available there for carrying bodies.
“As I did not get any support, I brought back the body on a trolley from the hospital. I was distressed after the death of my son and did not know about the scheme,” he said.
Sub-Divisional Medical Officer Dr Ajay Samal refuted the allegations. He said Sunaram had not informed any health official whether he wanted a vehicle to carry the body. “We informed police after the boy died during treatment and handed over the body for post-mortem. Had he sought any help for carrying the body, we would have made arrangements,” he added.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda has ordered a probe into the incident. Meherda has asked the Balasore Collector to inquire about the non-availability of Mahaprayan vehicle in the hospital. “Stringent action will be taken against whoever is found guilty,” he said.
Collector Pramod Kumar Das said Nilagiri Sub-Collector Ghasiram Murmu has been entrusted to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances which led Sunaram carry the body on a trolley. He has been asked to submit a report on Monday.
“I have also asked him to provide financial assistance to Sunaram under Harischandra Scheme. Besides, he will get Rs 4 lakh as compensation from the State Government as his son died of snakebite,” Das added.