The incident of a Dalit farmer carrying the body of his four-year-old son on a motorbike from the government hospital at Madakasira to his village Hanumanthuni Palle of Amarapuram mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district created a flutter on October 17.
According to information, the boy, identified as Rushi, had been suffering from high fever for the last four days. His father Lingappa, a small farmer, had taken him to a private medical practitioner in the village for treatment.
However, at around 5 a.m. on October 17, the boy reportedly suffered an epileptic attack because of high temperature. Mr. Lingappa immediately took him to the government hospital at Madakasira, 40 km away, in a ‘108’ ambulance. Before reaching the hospital, the ambulance personnel performed CPR on the boy and put him on oxygen support system. On reaching the hospital, the duty doctors declared him “brought dead.”
The farmer then urged the ambulance personnel to help him take the boy’s body back home. The ambulance staff, however, refused to consider the request, saying that dead bodies were not allowed to be transported in the ‘108’ ambulance.
A few minutes later, Thimmappa carried away his son’s body on a two-wheeler after some relative brought it to the hospital.
District Coordinator of Health Services (DCHS) Thippendra Naik told The Hindu that the episode was true.
“After the duty doctors declared the boy dead, his father contacted the ambulance personnel for assistance to transport the body back to the village. Later, he left the hospital along with his son’s body without informing the duty doctors,” Dr. Naik said.
He further said the the revenue officials of Madakasira and Amarapuram mandals visited the farmer’s house and conducted an inquiry.
“During inquiry, the farmer said he had voluntarily transported his son’s body on the motorbike and that he did not inform them same to the duty doctors or the paramedical staff,” Dr. Naik said.
“The Maha Prasthanam vehicles (used to carry bodies) are currently not available in any hospital in the district. In case of necessity, the duty doctors will try to convince the private operators to do the needful for a lesser price. In many cases, the doctors themselves have either arranged diesel or made payment to the drivers,” he added.
District Medical and Health Officer Krishna Reddy said the incident was taken to the notice of the District Collector.
