THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, September 16: Post-mortem or no post-mortem. The bereaved family remains in a fix even in cases where there is a frank case of death by snake bite or death by lightning or death by electrocution etc.
Post-mortem protocol changes
Post post-mortem report is not a public document. The Union Ministry of Health has set a new protocol for the conduct of the post-mortem even after the sunset or better say at night as prior to this protocol permission for post-mortem at night was first taken from the district magistrate or deputy commissioner whatever may be the case.
Night time post mortem is to be Videographed. Again, where there is a case of rape cum death, suicide, murder decomposed body etc and where there is an apprehension of breach of law and order, post-mortem is permitted at night, read a 2021 letter of the Union Ministry of Health.
Family reluctance and post-mortem controversies
Four families out of ten such cases in the beginning show reluctance to the post-mortem.
However, when external forces convince them they agree and when they agree they try to pick holes in the post-mortem.
There are numerous instances where ruckus scenes have been created in the MMCH following the death of patients.
Doctors and nurses are blamed. They are heckled, abused and humiliated. Sometimes beaten up also.
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Decision not to conduct post-mortem
Recently, three doctors of the MMCH Daltonganj Dr Vijay Singh, Dr Vijeta and Dr Rohit Pandey unanimously decided not to conduct a post-mortem of a lady who had died in the MMCH.
Dr Vijay Singh told this correspondent, “Our decision not to conduct post mortem should not be construed as any of our apathy but for the simple reason that fingers were bound to be raised over this post mortem by three of us as the patient had died in the MMCH and we three are of the MMCH.”
“Such a time has come when matters reach the High Court and there questions come bouncing on why the doctors of the MMCH did the post mortem when the patient had died in the same hospital,” quipped Dr Vijay Singh.
Case details
According to a senior gynaecologist Dr SS Horo, “An advanced stage pregnant woman Rina Devi, 28, was brought to the MMCH around 6.30 pm on September 13.”
She was operated upon by Dr Purnima around 9.12 pm on September 13.
It was Rina Devi’s second delivery. She had C section earlier for her first delivery. This was her second cesarean section.
She was fine. She had no complaint about excess bleeding etc.
However, her condition started deteriorating after a few hours of the operation. Her pulse monitor showed her having an irregular heartbeat around 3.30 am on September 14.
Dr Horo said she had a bout of cardiac arrhythmia which means her heartbeat was too quick and too slow. Her O2 level was also fluctuating terribly, added Dr Horo.
All efforts to resuscitate her went in vain. Dr Horo said two more doctors, R K Ranjan and Razi, were called who rushed in but in vain.
The woman died around 4.30 am on September 14.
Sources said the family took down her body by ambulance for home at Ketaat under the Rehla police station.
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Deceased’s family kept ambulance driver captive
There the bereaved family and co-villagers began creating hue and cry. They first detained the ambulance driver who had reached the body home. The ambulance driver was kept captive.
Again, they took the same ambulance and reversed to the MMCH Daltonganj following police intervention for the post mortem which the family had in the beginning refused to have.
Here the post-mortem was referred to the RIMS Ranchi in the larger interest of the family.
Sources said the family could have never trusted the findings of the post mortem accusing the medical board for it of either manipulating the findings or fudging the post-mortem.
Dr Horo said, “Nobody can understand what it makes us feel when a patient so leaves us for other world.”
