Bihar: Only one mortuary van for 2 Sasaram-based hospitals

SASARAM: Despite 210 deaths due to Covid-related ailments in the district since April 1, Rohtas continues to face shortage of healthcare resources. Apparently, there is only one government mortuary van for both Sasaram Sadar Hospital and Narayan Medical College and Hospital to take the bodies of Covid victims for cremation.
Additional chief medical officer (ACMO) Dr K N Tiwary admitted said the single mortuary van does not meet the requirement as it takes four to six hours to follow the Covid protocol for cremation of a body. “So people, instead of waiting, prefer to arrange private vehicle themselves for carrying the bodies,” he said.
Rohit Kumar, who lost his father and mother within 72 hours at Narayan Medical College and Hospital last week, said he had to pay Rs4,000 to private ambulance each time for bringing their bodies to the cremation ground at Sasaram, hardly 12km from the hospital.
“I waited for at least 18 hours for government mortuary van, but it did not reach there. So, I had to hire private ambulance,” Rohit rued. His troubles didn’t end there as he had to pay Rs20,000 for cremation of each body.
The state government’s direction to the local administration for providing firewood free of cost for last rites of Covid victims has not reached the district administration yet.
When asked on the issue, the in-charge of district disaster management, Khushbu Patel, advised to contact deputy election officer, Rohtas, Satya Priya, who is heading the cell formed for the last rites of the Covid victims. Satya Priya said he was entrusted with the task to expedite the handing over the bodies to the family members as per the Covid protocol.
Talks with more than two dozen family members of Covid deceased revealed that they received no help from the administration for the last rites of the Covid victims.
Also, efforts by the administration to operate 10 ventilators provided under PM CARES Fund last year, received a jolt when no candidate responded to the advertisement floated by the district health society recently seeking technician for running the ICU and ventilators.
The ACMO said process for inviting fresh application for technicians for ventilators is underway.