Chaibasa, March 8: A sensitive case of alleged negligence has emerged from the Chakradharpur Sub-Divisional Hospital in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. A poor father was compelled to carry the body of his newborn child in a cardboard box back home. The incident has sparked deep anger and sorrow in the region following the release of images depicting the tragic situation.
Ramkrishna Hembram, a resident of Bangrasai village in the KaraiKela police station area, had admitted his wife, Rita Tiriya, to the hospital for delivery three days ago. On Saturday, Rita gave birth to a baby, but the newborn died shortly after birth. Family members allege that the child’s life could not be saved due to the negligence of the hospital management.
According to relatives, after the newborn’s death, the hospital administration began pressuring the family to remove the body from the hospital rather than offering any assistance. When Ramkrishna requested an ambulance to transport the body home, he was not provided with any facilities. Due to financial constraints and desperation, the father ultimately had to place the newborn’s body in a cardboard box and set out for his village in that condition.
Upon learning of the incident, anger erupted among villagers in the surrounding areas. Locals claim that poor patients are often treated with neglect in government hospitals. They argue that if the hospital administration had wished, they could have arranged for the body to be transported home by ambulance out of humanitarian concern.
Villagers and the affected family have demanded a high-level inquiry by the district administration and health department into the matter. They have also called for strict action against the negligent health workers and officials, as well as compensation for the grieving family.
In response to the incident, Dr. Anshuman Sharma, the medical in-charge of Chakradharpur Sub-Divisional Hospital, stated that the victim’s family did not request any assistance to take the body home. He mentioned that if the family had contacted the hospital administration, arrangements could have been made to transport the body via a Mamta vehicle.
He expressed his sorrow over the situation, which arose due to a lack of information, and urged patients and their families to communicate their problems to doctors during treatment to ensure timely assistance.