With dead baby, father waits for over 12 hours at VIMSAR Burla for hearse

A resident of Lahunipada, Sarada Naik, had brought his infant son to VIMSAR in a critical condition on May 22. The baby was shifted to SNCU  but succumbed on Thursday at around 10 pm.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

SAMBALPUR: In an unfortunate incident, a father was stranded with the body of his eight-day old son at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), Burla for more than 12 hours after failing to afford the hospital’s hearse service on Friday.

A resident of Lahunipada in Sundargarh district, Sarada Naik had brought his infant son to VIMSAR in a critical condition on May 22.

The baby was shifted to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) immediately but succumbed on Thursday night at around 10 pm.

Subsequently, Naik went to arrange the Mahaprayan vehicle to take the body back to his village.

However, the driver of the vehicle informed him that the free service is only available inside the district and for taking the body to Sundargarh, Naik will have to pay Rs 10 per km.

Being a daily wager, Naik was unable to afford the rent of the vehicle. Out of options and no known person to approach, the distraught father waited with his son’s body at the hospital throughout the night.

At around 7 am the next morning, some locals, who heard about Naik’s plight, contacted a senior resident doctor of Medicine department Shankar Ramchandani.

The doctor later arranged a vehicle and gave him Rs 4000 to reach his village. Ramchandani said, “VIMSAR is not a district hospital but a referral hospital.

"People of the entire Western Odisha region are dependent on it and it is unfortunate that a person was made to wait due to limitation of the Government service. The movement of Mahaprayan vehicle should be made free in all Western Odisha districts for larger interest of people.”

While none of the hospital authorities could be reached over the issue, the incident drew criticism from all quarters in the town.

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