MS clarifies allegations of STNM Hospital forcing inconsiderate removal of corpse

GANGTOK, 06 Feb: The Medical Superintendent, STNM Hospital, Dr. Yogesh Verma has clarified the hospital’s stand on the recent incident in which family members of a deceased 27-year-old youth from West Pendam were allegedly forced to remove the dead body out of the hospital complex on the night of 03 February.

Speaking to NOW! today, Dr. Verma, while detailing the series of events, also contended that some “ill-informed” individuals had given a different “twist” to the entire episode.

According to the MS, the patient was brought to the emergency ward of the hospital on 03 February with liver complications. At around 8 pm the patient passed away in the minor operation theatre at the Trauma Centre. The dead body remained there until, at around 9:30 pm the doctor on duty received new emergency cases that needed immediate treatment in the minor OT. The dead body of the youth was removed from the OT and kept in the narrow passage of the trauma ward.

The Medical Superintendent further added that it was not the hospital administration that asked the family to remove the dead body from the trauma centre initially but other in-patients at the emergency ward who disapproved of the body being kept in the passageway.

“It was the other patients and their families who asked the family to remove the body from the passage after which an altercation ensued between the patient parties and the party of the deceased. It was then that the hospital authorities had to intervene and remove the dead body from the corridor in the presence of police personnel who were witness to the entire episode,” stated Dr. Verma.

He added that the hospital administration had also given the deceased’s family the option to take the body to the mortuary where there were provisions for keeping the same or take the body home. It was said that none of the options was taken by the deceased’s family and instead the commotion at the hospital continued till 11 pm when the family ultimately agreed to take the body home.

“We gave them an option for convenience which they refused to take and now we hear of such allegations. The other in-patients who demanded that the body be removed from the passageway were also entitled to do so as it is not advisable to keep a dead body next to other patients for long periods. The presence of the body had discomforted the entire trauma ward which is why this had to be done as per the rules and regulations,” he clarified.

In a detailed press communiqué issued later this evening, the MS adds that the patient party had initially, while turning down the offer to shift the body into the mortuary, said they would be leaving in 15-20 minutes. Also, when they did eventually leave, they even thanked the doctor when they came back to give the stretcher, the release details.

“Looking into the explanation and the version, the undersigned is of the opinion that at no point of time was the patient made to remove the body immediately. In fact the body was kept in the premises within the Emergency of the hospital from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM. The hospital Emergency is extremely busy and at all times there is an acute shortage of space. In spite of these constraints and compelling needs of other patients the dead body was accommodated in the Emergency for three hours,” the Medical Superintendent goes on to detail.

“The hospital staff at no time had any arguments with the patient party but there were arguments between two groups of patient relatives for reasons mentioned above,” he reiterates.