Bhawanipatna: The Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) here Tuesday ordered a probe into a report that a few people carried the body of a relative in a sling for five kilometres to reach their village due to delay in availability of a hearse at Kanigumma health centre under Thuamul Rampur block in Kalahandi district.
CDMO Dr Banalata Devi told reporters that she has ordered a probe into the incident. “I have directed the ADPHO (TB) and officer-in-charge of the hospital to probe the matter. Action will be taken after I get a report from them,” she said.
The deceased, identified as Nigadi Majhi, 55, was a native of Kaniguma under T Rampur block. Nigadi was admitted to Kaniguma PHC Monday. He was shifted to Thuamula-Rampur community health centre for further treatment and later brought back to Kariguma health centre. He however, died at 2 pm, Monday, while undergoing treatment.
The hospital authorities asked Nigidi’s relatives to take his body back home. Family members pleaded with them to provide them a hearse as their remote village is inaccessible and no mobile service works there. They waited for long to get a hearse but due to delay in availability of a vehicle to carry the body home, the relatives took the body in a sling for over 5 km to reach their village.
Sources said several hospitals under T Rampur have no provision for providing hearses. A single Mahaprayan vehicle is available at Kalampur community health centre which caters to the needs of the hospitals in T Rampur, Kalampur, and Jaipatna block.
“When we sought an ambulance, the hospital staff said the vehicle was not available immediately. It would be available by midnight,” said a relative of Nigadi.
The incident is a grim reminder of Dana Majhi, a tribal villagers who had carried his wife Amangdei’s body on his shoulder for nearly 10 km after being denied a hearse August 24, 2016. The incident had caught worldwide attention.
PNN