Bodies kept in ward with patients, inquiry ordered

nMUMBAI: A day after a video surfaced showing bodies of Covid-19 victims at Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital, also known as Sion Hospital, left in a ward for an extended period alongside patients, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered an inquiry into the matter. A committee has been asked to submit its report within 24 hours.

On Wednesday night, MLA Nitish Rane posted a video which allegedly showed patients at Sion Hospital sharing the ward with bodies.

The incident has again highlighted the casual way in which municipal hospitals are handling bodies of Covid-19 patients, despite directions for them to be shifted from the ward within 30 minutes of being declared dead.

The video shows Covid-19 patients undergoing treatment in a ward with bodies wrapped in black plastic covers near them. This is in violation of the rules of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which state that deceased patients should be wrapped in airtight body bags to avoid possible transmission of the Sars-cov-2 virus.

“I have never seen such a horrendous situation [in Mumbai] where patients are made to share beds beside bodies. This causes severe psychological trauma among patients,” said BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who has filed a complaint with the ICMR.

The hospital said that often patients’ relatives do not come to claim bodies. Sometimes, it takes longer to wrap the bodies and send them to the morgue.

Sion Hospital dean Pramod Ingale said relatives of those who died of Covid-19 were also reluctant to take the bodies. “We have removed the bodies and will investigate the matter,” he said.

The BMC has also formed a team to investigate and submit a report within 24 hours.