Jharkhand: Garhwa hospital workers burn stillborn in garbage fire

GARHWA: Three health workers of the government-run Majhiaon referral hospital in Garhwa disposed of the body of a newborn by burning it with garbage on Saturday. Deputy commissioner (DC) Shekhar Jamuar on Sunday ordered sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Raj Maheshwaram to lodge an FIR against the health workers concerned and take strict action against them. Later in the day, one of the health workers has been dismissed from service with immediate effect.
The medical officer-in-charge of the hospital, Dr Govind Seth, informed the civil surgeon about the incident.
The matter reached the DC through social media, taking cognizance of which, he sought a report from the civil surgeon.
The general nurse and midwife (GNM), Nirmala Kumari, auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM) Manju Kumari and the traditional birth attendant (TBA), also known as 'dhai', Daulat Devi, were on duty and delivered the baby.
Dr Seth said, "I informed the civil surgeon after confirming the incident."
The DC then ordered the dismissal of the services of the 'dhai' who belonged to an outsourced company and directed the SDM to lodge an FIR against the GNM and the ANM.
‘Dhai dismissed from job with immediate effect’
The DC said, “It was a shameful act and amounted to heinous crime. I have instructed Garhwa SDM Raj Maheshwaram to lodge an FIR against GNM Nirmala Kumari and ANM Manju Kumari, while ‘dhai’ Daulat Devi has been dismissed from service with immediate effect.”
Rajmati Devi, the grandmother of the stillborn, said her daughter Madhu was admitted to the Majhaion referral hospital with labour pain on Saturday at 3 pm and she delivered the stillborn baby at 4.30 pm.
The family members were arranging for the ritualistic disposal of the body when the health workers threw it into the burning garbage dump instead of handing it over to them, Rajmanti said. Civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar said, “The burning of the body of a newborn instead of handing it over to the family members is an inhuman act.”