BJP leader Geeta Koda stages dharna in front of Sadar Hospital

Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Dec 21 (PTI) Two days after a tribal man carried the body of his four-month-old son in a bag, BJP leader Geeta Koda on Sunday staged a dharna against "gross mismanagement" prevailing at the Sadar Hospital here and demanded justice for the family.

Koda visited the village of Dimba Chatomba, who was compelled to carry the body of his four-month-old son in a bag due to the unavailability of a vehicle to carry the dead body from the hospital to his village on Friday.

The former MP alleged that Sadar Hospital had 20 ambulances but only two dead body carrying vehicles for the entire district.

Out of two vehicles, she said one of the vehicle was lying idle following an accident, and the other vehicle was meant for the entire district.

Recently, the hospital was allocated funds of around Rs 90 lakh, but instead of utilising it for the purchase of medicines and maintenance, it was looted by unscrupulous officials, she alleged.

Referring to Friday's incident, Koda refuted the enquiry report submitted by SDO (Sadar) following the investigation of the issue. The report claimed that Dimba had left the hospital with the dead body before the vehicle arranged by the hospital arrived.

"It is absolutely wrong. I had personally met Dimba, who said he was reprimanded by the hospital authorities when he appealed for a vehicle to carry the body of his infant son, as he had no money," the BJP leader said.

Dimba purchased a bag for Rs 20 and boarded a bus for his native village with the money donated by people, she claimed.

Barring a red ration card, Dimba or his wife were not covered under any welfare scheme of the government, including Maiya Samman Yojna, she said.

The BJP leader demanded justice for Dimba and his family and stringent action against officials responsible for the prevailing pathetic state of affairs at Sadar Hospital.

On Friday, the four-month-old son of Dimba Chatomba, a resident of Baljodi village under Noamundi block of West Singhbhum district, died in the course of treatment at Sadar Hospital, Chaibasa. PTI BS RG