New Delhi: In Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, a father had to carry his daughter’s body on his shoulder and reach home on foot after walking ten kilometers due to a delay in finding an ambulance.
After a video clip of the incident went viral on social media, the state Health Minister has ordered an inquiry into the matter.
According to the officials, the seven-year-old girl died on Friday morning at the community health center in Lakhanpur village of the district, after which her father went home carrying the daughter’s body on his shoulder before the vehicle could reach him.
Ishwar Das, a resident of Amdala village in the district, had reached Lakhanpur Community Health Center for treatment of his ailing daughter Surekha, they said.
Dr Vinod Bhargav, Rural Medical Assistant (RMA) posted at the health center said, “The girl’s oxygen level was very low, around 60. According to her parents, she was suffering from a high fever for the last few days. Necessary treatment was initiated but her condition deteriorated and she died around 7:30 am.”
“We told the family members that a hearse will arrive soon. It came around 9:20 am, but by then they had left with the body,” he added.
Have a look at the viral video here:
Surguja: Chhattisgarh Health Min TS Singh Deo orders probe after video of a man carrying body of his daughter on his shoulders went viral
Concerned health official from Lakhanpur should have made the father understand to wait for hearse instead of letting him go, Deo said(25.3) pic.twitter.com/aN5li1PsCm
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) March 26, 2022
On Friday, Health Minister TS Singh Deo said, “I saw the video. It was disturbing. I have told the CMHO to take appropriate action after getting the matter probed. I have told him that those who are posted there but are not able to discharge their duties should be removed”.
Mr Deo represents the Ambikapur assembly constituency in the state Assembly.