E-Paper
Caught in protocols and indecision, body of Covid patient takes 7 hours to reach Ghaziabad from Meerut
Indecision and procedural holdups led to an inordinate delay in the burial of a 60-year-old from Ghaziabad, who had succumbed to co-morbid conditions triggered by
Indecision and procedural holdups led to an inordinate delay in the burial of a 60-year-old from Ghaziabad, who had succumbed to co-morbid conditions triggered by Covid-19 at the L3 hospital in Meerut on Tuesday evening.
Officials said that the burial finally could take place around 2am on Wednesday in Ghaziabad, after an almost seven hour delay. According to norms laid down by the Central government, bodies of Covid-19 patients are to be cremated/buried at the earliest, while ensuring all safety norms.
According to victim’s family, the man developed mild fever and was referred from MMG Hospital in Ghaziabad to Meerut Medical College on April 9. Test results later confirmed him positive for Covid-19 and the man died around 5.30pm on Tuesday.
However, it took officials more than seven hours to ferry the body from Meerut to Ghaziabad, a distance of merely 55km.
“Initially, there was a demand from officials of Meerut that Ghaziabad sends a vehicle to take the body. The issue was cleared after lot of discussions and Meerut officials decided to send body in their vehicle. As per norms, the last rites can take place in the district where the death has taken place. If the family requests, the district will send the body to the home district in their vehicle,” said a health department official from Ghaziabad.
Another issue cropped up when officials figured out the name of the victim. Ghaziabad health officials said that they were under the impression that the body had to be cremated, but later figured that they needed to bury it.
“The confusion was cleared around 11pm on Tuesday when we came to know that the deceased had to be buried because of his religion and a place for the same needs to be prepared. This was because we had no records of the patients with us and he died at Meerut during treatment. After the body left Meerut in a vehicle, it stopped midway at Modinagar. We were told that we need to send some officer to formally receive the body there. Once that issue was sorted, the vehicle finally arrived at Ghaziabad around 1am on Wednesday,” the officer said.
The family of the deceased said that they were also amazed at the turn of events, which led to hours of delay.
“We received information of death round 5.30pm on Tuesday and were told that burial will take place in Meerut. When we reached Modinagar, we got a call from Meerut that the burial will now take place in Ghaziabad. We had made no request for a burial in Ghaziabad as there was a risk of the infection spreading during transportation,” said the elder son of the deceased.
“After we reached Meerut around 10pm, the vehicle started its journey. But, it stopped midway for an hour in Modinagar. Again we made number of calls and officials of both districts spoke to each other. Once the issue was cleared, the vehicle reached Ghaziabad around 1am. Thereafter, the body was buried as we stayed about 400 metres away from the site,” he added.
The family stays at Kaila Kheda locality near Pratap Vihar in Ghaziabad.
Ghaziabad chief medical officer Dr NK Gupta said that the Meerut officials sent the body in their vehicle.
“There was confusion about protocols, vehicle and responsibilities of officials from the two districts. We were regularly in touch with Meerut officials and both sides worked out the issues over calls. The body arrived at Ghaziabad and we had made all arrangements for the burial. It took place around 1.30am on Wednesday,” he added.
Dr Raj Kumar, chief medical officer of Meerut district, said that there was no delay on their part.
“There was no delay in transportation as such. The designated officer of Ghaziabad did not reach Modinagar so the vehicle halted there for 15 to 20 minutes. We did not take any request in writing from deceased’s family, but they verbally told us that burial should be done in Ghaziabad. So we made arrangements accordingly,” he added.
Dr RC Gupta, the principal of Meerut Medical College, said that there were several protocols which had to be followed and that may have resulted in delays.
“The patient was admitted on April 9 and later tested positive for Covid-19. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and developed comorbid conditions. There was no confusion in transportation of body,” Dr Gupta said.
“His family has a right to seek burial in their home district if they wish to. In such a case, the CMO from here (Meerut) sent the body in vehicle and the CMO of Ghaziabad made arrangements for last rites. Initially there was some issue that people from outside the district will not be allowed burial here. So the body was sent to Ghaziabad for burial,” he added.
