JOIN USTribal couple carry infant's body on 2-wheeler for 100 km
A tribal couple carried the dead body of their 14-day-old baby boy on a scooter from the King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam back to their village near the Andhra-Odisha border, about 170 km away, as the concerned officials allegedly did not provide a vehicle to carry the corpse.
The couple – Ch Maheswari and Matsya Raju traveled on a two-wheeler with the woman riding pillion and holding the baby's body, for about 100 kms. They were intercepted midway near Paderu and were shifted into an ambulance arranged by district officials for the remainder of the journey.
Speaking to DH, KGH superintendent Dr Ashok Kumar stated it as a case of "at the most a slight delay in arranging an ambulance, but not refusal of service". The incident took place on Thursday morning.
The infant was born early February 2 at Paderu with a condition of severe perinatal asphyxia with respiratory failure with shock. The baby, admitted to KGH later the same day, was kept in Neonatal ICU and treated under the supervision of pediatricians.
"Despite our efforts and care given, the baby boy was declared dead at 7:50 am Thursday. Oral intimation was given to tribal coordinator (of the Integrated Tribal Development Authority run cell) at the hospital for arrangement of a transport vehicle. The vehicle arrived at 9:15, but the parents left the hospital premises with their baby at about 9:00 without informing anyone," Dr Kumar said.
The tribal coordinator then informed Paderu district medical authorities, and Project Officer, ITDA. They were traced at Paderu and an ambulance was arranged there immediately which took the parents and baby's body to Kumuda village.
However, the AP child rights commission took note of the matter and is reportedly moving to issue notices to Alluri Sitaramaraju district collector and Paderu ITDA PO.