Odisha issues new directive for transporting corpse

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 12:

The Odisha government today issued new guidelines for release and transportation of the dead from state-run hospitals in the state.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary Health & Family Welfare Pramod Meherda has issued a directive in this regard.

According to the directive issued by Meherda in the event of the death of a patient occurring at the hospital or him/her being brought dead to the hospital, the medical officer of the concerned hospital will apprise the deceased patient’s relative about the provisions available for transporting the dead.

The deceased patient’s relative will be apprised about the fund available for transportation of the dead.

An acceptance letter from the deceased patient’s relative will be obtained in this regard.

In the event of the deceased patient’s kin desiring to transport the dead on their own arrangement an undertaking from him/her will be obtained.

Otherwise, the medical officer of the concerned hospital will make arrangements on behalf of the state for the transportation of the dead.

The medical officer will be required to share it in a WhatsApp group formed at the district level. The CDMO, ADMO, BDO, tehsildar etc will be members of the WhatsApp group.

After receiving flak over the incidents of Dana Majhi carrying his wife’s body on his shoulders in Bhawanipatna and sons carrying the body of their mother on their shoulders at Rasulpur, the state government has been forced to issue such directive.