Andhra Pradesh: Couple carry dead baby home in 2-wheeler as KGH fails to provide ambulance
KGH regional medical officer Vasudeva Rao said, “We were told by the tribal cell that the parents went on their own even before the vehicle was provided.”
By Newsmeter Network Published on 16 Feb 2023 12:08 PM GMT
Visakhapatnam: A couple from Alluri Seetharamaraju district had to carry their 14-day-old dead baby and travel 120 km on their two-wheeler after King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam, where the baby died, failed to provide an ambulance to take the body home.
Maheswari of Kummada, a tribal village in Alluri district, gave birth to a baby at Paderu government hospital. The baby was brought to KGH on 2 February due to severe asphyxia. The baby was being treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) since then. On 16 February, the baby died at 7.30 a.m.
Allegedly due to the negligence of the KGH tribal health cell coordinator, the parents had to wait for hours for the ambulance and were forced to take the baby on their two-wheeler.
Speaking to the media, KGH regional medical officer Vasudeva Rao explained, “KGH provides a mahaprasthanam vehicle to take the deceased to their native place. But the baby’s parents are tribals and they have to coordinate with the tribal health cell for the vehicle provided by ITDA. In case there is no vehicle at the cell, we will provide the vehicle. But we did not receive any information for a vehicle.”
He added, “We were told by the tribal cell that the parents went on their own even before the vehicle was provided.”
KGH officials said they have no information about the baby’s death and need for a vehicle. KGH superintendent said an investigation will be conducted and action will be taken against those responsible.
