JAMSHEDPUR: A 35-year-old daily wage worker was forced to carry the body of his stillborn child in a cardboard box to his home after allegedly being denied an ambulance at a sub-divisional hospital in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district. The incident, which occurred in Chakradharpur on Saturday, has prompted the state health department to order an inquiry.
The matter came to light after a video showing the man carrying the cardboard box went viral on social media.
According to reports, Ramkrishna Hembram, a resident of Bangarasai village, had admitted his pregnant wife, Rita Tiriya (28), to the hospital on March 5. During a check-up on Saturday, hospital staff reportedly could not detect a foetal heartbeat and referred her for an ultrasound.
However, before the ultrasound could be conducted, Rita went into labour and delivered a stillborn baby.
Hembram claimed he requested an ambulance to take the baby’s body to his village, located about 12 kilometres away, but the hospital authorities allegedly refused. He further alleged that ward staff asked him to remove the body quickly.
Left with no option, Hembram said he picked up a discarded cardboard box from the hospital premises, placed the baby’s body inside it, packed it in a grocery bag and travelled back home in an e-rickshaw.
Hospital in-charge Dr Anshuman Sharma denied the allegation, stating that no request for an ambulance had been made by the family.
“The woman was kept at the hospital while the family was asked to complete the last rites of the baby. No request was made for an ambulance. If such a request had been made, we would have arranged a Mamata Vahan, which was available at the hospital,” Sharma said.
Taking serious note of the incident, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Ajoy Kumar Singh announced that a detailed probe would be conducted.
“If the allegations are found to be true, strict action will be taken against those responsible,” he said.
The incident has drawn comparisons to a similar case reported in December last year from Chaibasa Sadar Hospital in the same district. In that case, a man was forced to carry the body of his four-month-old son in a plastic bag and travel about 70 kilometres by public bus because he could not afford to hire an ambulance.
