KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, March 9: Alleged non-cooperation by hospital authorities in providing an ambulance has once again sparked outrage in a tribal hamlet of West Singhbhum district, putting the Chakradharpur sub-divisional hospital under scrutiny.
A young woman, Rita Titiya, delivered a stillborn baby boy at the government hospital on Saturday morning. While the mother remained admitted in the maternity ward, the infant’s father, Ramchandra Hembram, was forced to carry the newborn’s body back to his village without ambulance support.
Father forced to travel 60 km with body in e-rickshaw
Hembram reportedly placed the stillborn baby’s body in a box and travelled nearly 60 kilometres in an e-rickshaw to his village Bangtasai in Keraikela block of the tribal-dominated district.
Neighbours were shocked when they saw him stepping out of the e-rickshaw carrying what appeared to be a small coffin. The incident quickly drew sharp reactions from villagers, who alerted local media and accused the hospital authorities of insensitivity.
According to Hembram, he repeatedly requested an ambulance from Chakradharpur sub-divisional hospital, but none was provided.
“Despite several requests, the hospital did not arrange any vehicle. I had no option but to hire an e-rickshaw to take the body home,” he reportedly told the media.
Hospital denies ambulance request
However, hospital authorities rejected the allegations.
Anshuman Sharma, superintendent of the sub-divisional hospital in Chakradharpur, claimed that no request for an ambulance had been made to the hospital.
“We have one ambulance and three Mamta vehicles for carrying patients and dead bodies. On Saturday morning, two Mamta vehicles and drivers were available. Had anyone approached the concerned authority, at least one vehicle could have been arranged. But no one contacted us,” Sharma said while speaking to The Jharkhand Story.
Woman was suffering from infection, says hospital
The hospital superintendent said the woman had arrived at the hospital on Friday afternoon for delivery.
“The woman’s condition was critical. Our gynaecologist examined her and recommended an ultrasound to determine the baby’s position. The test was scheduled for Saturday morning, but by then the child had died in the womb,” Sharma said.
He further claimed the woman was suffering from an infectious disease, which had also affected the stillborn baby.
“Doctors advised the family to remove the body quickly to prevent any infection risk in the maternity ward. Following this, the family took the body away,” the superintendent added.
Sharma also said that Rita Titiya was discharged on Sunday afternoon and was dropped home by a Mamta vehicle arranged by the hospital.
Similar ambulance controversy reported earlier
This is not the first time ambulance services in West Singhbhum hospitals have come under criticism.
On December 9 last year, the grieving father of a four-month-old infant had to carry the child’s body in a bag from Chaibasa Sadar Hospital to Noamundi after failing to obtain ambulance support. He eventually travelled by bus with the body, triggering public outrage across the district.