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Body taken home on pushcart in Faridabad: Haryana human rights panel raps health authorities over denial of ambulance
The HHRC has stated that the “grave and disturbing incident” pertains to the body of Anuradha, 35, who died during treatment at Badshah Khan Civil Hospital in Faridabad.
Terming the state health authorities stand that the government ambulances are not meant to carry dead bodies as “administrative insensitivity” and a “grave abdication of constitutional and moral responsibility”, Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken a suo motu cognizance of a woman’s body being taken from Badshah Khan Civil Hospital in Faridabad to a village on a motorised open pushcart.
The HHRC has stated that the “grave and disturbing incident” pertains to the body of Anuradha, 35, who died during treatment at Badshah Khan Civil Hospital in Faridabad. The body was taken to her home on a motorised open pushcart due to the family’s inability to pay for transportation charges.
The HHRC has directed the health department to frame a policy for ensuring free of cost transportation of the body, in case a patient belonging to an economically weaker family dies during treatment in any civil hospital of the State.
The HHRC has also directed additional chief secretary (health) and director general of police (DGP) to submit their action taken reports a week before when the case will come up for resumed hearing on April 2.
“The incident raises serious issues concerning the state’s obligation to ensure dignity, humane treatment and access to essential public services for persons belonging to economically weaker sections of society,” HHRC’s full commission comprising chairperson Justice (retired) Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia observed in its February 4 order.
“The reported stand of the health authorities that government ambulances are not designated for transporting dead bodies reflects a serious policy vacuum and administrative insensitivity.”
On the basis of the material available, the commission stated that it’s prima facie of the view that there was a failure of the public health and administrative system to ensure dignified handling of the body of the deceased.
As per the HHRC order, the deceased was suffering from tuberculosis and had undergone treatment at multiple government hospitals, including Safdarjung hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi. During the course of prolonged treatment, the family exhausted all financial resources. Anuradha died at Badshah Khan Civil Hospital in Faridabad on January 28. Thereafter, the family was reportedly asked to arrange ₹700 for transporting the dead body, which they were unable to afford.
As per the order, in the absence of any ambulance or hearse facility being provided by the hospital or district administration, the family was compelled to make its own arrangement. “Dead body was transported to village Sarurpur on a motorised pushcart, an act that reflects not choice but compulsion born out of poverty and institutional neglect,” the rights body has stated.
As per the order--based on media reports--Dr MP Singh, deputy civil surgeon, Faridabad, has stated that there is no provision to carry corpses in health department ambulances. On the other hand, in another news report Dr Jayant Ahuja, chief medical officer of Faridabad, has claimed that, on verification of the records, the bereaved family did not make any request for an ambulance to carry the dead body.
“Such explanations fail to address the core issue that no accessible and assured alternative mechanism exists for providing dignified transportation of dead bodies, particularly for economically weaker families,” observed the HHRC.
“In the absence of a structured, responsive and humane arrangement, this position amounts to an abdication of the State’s constitutional obligation.”
DCs directed to ensures hearse van services
Within hours after HHRC order was released, Haryana’s additional chief secretary (ACS) health and family welfare, Sumita Misra directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) to ensure availability of at least one functional hearse van service in each district.
The ACS (health) said that for dignified transportation of deceased persons, hearse vans are essential.
“All DCs are hereby directed to ensure that at least one functional hearse van service is available and operational in each district,” Misra said, adding that the service may be arranged through the Indian Red Cross Society, reputed NGOs, or any other duly authorised agency.
The civil surgeon in each district has been directed to ensure that contact numbers of all operational hearse vans (operated by the Indian Red Cross Society/NGOs/authorised agencies) are prominently displayed at all government health institutions.
