Gurgaon: Two days after a family took home the body of a 35-year-old woman, who died during tuberculosis treatment at a Faridabad hospital, in a motorised pushcart after they failed to get access to ambulances and hearses, the chief medical officer (CMO) of the hospital on Friday ordered an inquiry to identify any operational lapses at Civil Hospital’s emergency and trauma departments. A high-level committee of senior doctors at the hospital has been formed to examine allegations that staff failed to guide the grieving husband and parents to appropriate channels for help. “A committee has been set up. It will submit the probe report as early as possible. As a precautionary measure, information about ambulance services will be displayed at the hospital,” said deputy CMO Dr MP Singh. The body of Anuradha was taken home by her family on Wednesday in the same motorised pushcart they use to earn their livelihood. Many witnessed the painful scene as the family travelled 10-odd kms in the pushcart with the body from Badshah Khan Civil Hospital to their home in Sarurpur. Anuradha was undergoing treatment for tuberculosis at Badshah Khan Civil Hospital. After months of treatment, the family exhausted their savings. With no immediate assistance and no money left, they were compelled to take Anuradha’s body to their village, Sarurpur. As a corrective measure, the CMO ordered installation of informative display boards at prominent locations, including mortuary, emergency departments, and the hospital’s control room. The boards are to be installed within two days and will be printed in Hindi to ensure accessibility. They will list contact details for essential services, with specific emphasis on hearse availability. A hospital official said the hearse service is operated through Red Cross Society. The health department has written to Red Cross, urging it to strengthen its information, education and communication outreach across the district so that families are aware of available support during bereavement. While health department continues to publicise the emergency helpline 112, the authorities reiterated that the district’s fleet of nearly 100 hearses is managed by Red Cross. Faridabad Red Cross secretary Bijender Saurat said ambulance services have been arranged within the hospital complex. “When the control room informs them of a death, they provide a hearse to assist the victim’s family. The service is offered completely free of cost. In this case, our department did not receive any call,” he said.
