Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo has ordered an inquiry after a video of man carrying the body of his daughter on his shoulders was widely shared on social media, reported PTI.
“I saw the video,” Deo said. “It was disturbing. I have told the CMHO [chief medical health officer] to take appropriate action after getting the matter probed. I have told him that those who are posted there [at the health centre] but are not able to discharge their duties should be removed.”
The seven-year-old girl died on Friday morning at the community health centre in Surguja district’s Lakhanpur village. The man has been identified as Ishwar Das, who lives in Ambala village.
“The girl’s oxygen level was very low, around 60,” Dr Vinod Bhargav, rural medical assistant posted at the health centre, said. “According to her parents she was suffering from high fever for the last few days.”
Bhargav said that despite starting treatment on the girl, her condition deteriorated. She died around 7.30 am. The girl’s father then asked for a hearse to take the body back to his village. reported The Times of India.
“We told the family members that a hearse will arrive soon,” Bhargav said. “It came around 9.20 am, but by then they had left with the body.”
Das has alleged that the daughter was administered injections on an empty stomach, which could have caused a reaction.
In the video, he can be seen covering a distance of about 10 km on foot to reach home, ANI reported.
Meanwhile, Deo also shared pictures of the girl’s father on Twitter, calling them “unfortunate”.
“The death of this girl after giving possible remedies is very sad,” Deo said in a tweet in Hindi. “He [the father] was also called to the hospital after hearing about the dead body. But in the meantime, the bereaved family in a disturbed state decided to take the dead body.”
Singh agreed that the hospital employees present at the time should have communicated with the family better.
“The employees present in the health department should have informed the family about the situation through proper communication and showed condolences,” he said in another tweet.
The minister added: “Action will be taken against the guilty found in this case and those who are unable to perform their duty properly will be replaced by others.”
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