A four-month-old infant’s death at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital has sparked outrage after the child’s family was forced to carry the body in a plastic bag due to the alleged failure of hospital authorities to arrange transport.
The infant, son of Dimba Chatomba of Baljori village in Noamundi block, was admitted to the hospital on Thursday evening. Despite treatment, the child’s condition deteriorated and he died around 1.15 pm on Friday.
Family members said they waited for several hours after the death, repeatedly requesting hospital authorities to provide a vehicle to take the body home. With no assistance forthcoming, they wrapped the infant’s body in a plastic bag and boarded a bus to Noamundi.
Chatomba reportedly had only Rs 100 with him. He bought a plastic bag for Rs 20 and used the remaining money to pay the bus fare. From Noamundi, the family still had to walk several kilometres to reach their village.
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An attendant at the hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the family’s ordeal.
Responding to the incident, Civil Surgeon Dr Bharti Minj said the hospital does not provide ambulances for transporting bodies and relies on a single hearse vehicle for the entire district, which was stationed in Manoharpur at the time.
She said the family was asked to wait for a few hours but chose to leave.
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said an inquiry would be ordered and action taken if negligence was established.
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