Varanasi ACMO’s kin get another patient’s body

VARANASI: After additional chief medical officer Dr Jung Bahadur’s death here on Wednesday, his family members were given the body of another coronavirus patient by mortuary staff at Sir Sundar Lal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University here by mistake, officials confirmed.

A three-member fact-finding committee has been constituted to inquire into the facts of the incident, said BHU public relations officer Dr Rajesh Singh.

Dr Dharmendra Jain, head of the department cardiology at Institute of Medical Services-Banaras Hindu University (IMSBHU) is chairman of the committee.

Dr Vivek Srivastava, associate professor of the department of general surgery at IMS-BHU is a member. Another officer of Sir Sundar Lal Hospital, who has not been named, will be the member secretary.

The mix-up came to light when relatives of the other patient reached the mortuary to receive the body.

District health education and information officer Rajesh Sharma said ACMO, who tested positive for Covid-19, died in the early hours of Wednesday. Instead of ACMO’s body, which was all wrapped up, the staff gave another body with the ACMO’s death certificate to his relatives, he said. Sharma said that the bodies were wrapped as per Covid protocol.

ACMO’s family received the body and took it to Harishchadra Ghat for cremation, Sharma said. After the cremation, relatives of the other patient reached the ghat. They said ACMO’s body was still at the mortuary.

Sharma said ACMO’s family then went to the mortuary again, received his body and brought it to the Harishchandra Ghat where the last rites were performed.

The other body was that of the father of a food inspector.

Prof SK Mathur, medical superintendent of Sir Sundar Lal Hospital, said, “The bodies were kept in similar body bags in the mortuary. It has come to notice that one body was received by the relatives of the other deceased. When family members saw the body, they said it was not their patient. An inquiry has been ordered by a committee which will analyse the entire facts and circumstances. After this, appropriate action in this regard will be taken as per rules.”

A THREE-MEMBER FACTFINDING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SET UP TO INQUIRE INTO THE INCIDENT, SAID BHU PRO DR RAJESH SINGH