Health minister Banna Gupta on Wednesday ordered a probe into Tuesday’s bizarre case of an alleged living person being sent for an autopsy to RIMS, Ranchi, from the Chanho community health centre (CHC).
Gupta, in his tweet, said he had ordered health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni for a report in the matter of the Chanho CHC within three days and promised action against authorities at fault once the report came.
On Tuesday, a youth of Kharta village under Kairo police station area of Lohardaga district, Jeetendra Oraon, 26, who received a shock from a high-tension wire while dismantling a tent, was declared brought dead at 7.30am at the Chanho CHC.
After this, the body was brought to RIMS in Bariatu, some 45km from Chanho, around 1pm for the customary autopsy. When Jeetendra was being wheeled in for the autopsy on a trolley, the technical staff apparently noticed him breathing. Jeetendra was rushed to the RIMS emergency, where he was again declared brought dead.
His brother Sikandar Oraon claimed that doctors at the emergency told him the patient could have been saved had he been brought earlier.
Health minister Gupta has taken serious note of the matter and ordered a probe.
Chanho CHC in-charge Dr Namita Toppo pleaded her innocence. “There is no ECG machine at the CHC. A clinical exam showed no sign of life in the patient. After a proper examination, the patient was declared dead. Accordingly, the body was sent to RIMS for an autopsy with the help of the police. I cannot say what happened at RIMS,” she said.
RIMS head of forensic medicine department Dr Tulsi Mahto said Jeetendra’s kin wanted an autopsy. “Sent to RIMS emergency, the doctor again declared him dead,” he said.
Health secretary Kulkarni said: “All I can say now is the matter is based on hearsay.”
Jeetendra, a migrant worker, had returned from Kerala earlier this month, and had started working on Tuesday when the mishap took place.
