RIMS’ non-medical staff performs last rites of abandoned 2-year-old

A trolley man at Ranchi’s state government-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) performed last rites of a two-year-old Covid-19 infected child after his parents abandoned him in the hospital, officials said on Sunday.

The trolley man, Rohit Bedia, performed the child’s last rites following all Covid-19 guidelines at Ranchi based Ghaghra Muktidham on Saturday. “I was told that a couple deserted their twoyear-old child after he was found positive for Covid-19. There was no one to perform his last rites. Therefore, when I was offered to do the job, I readily accepted it,” Bedia said.

As per available information, a Bihar-based couple brought their child to RIMS for treatment in the intervening night of May 10 and 11, as he was suffering with breathlessness. The child was admitted to Paediatrics ward of the hospital.

Dr Hirendra Birua, head of Paediatrics surgery department of RIMS, said, “The parents were accompanying the child when he was admitted around 12.15am on May 11. They said their child suddenly started suffering with shortness of breath.”

He said, “When his X-Ray was done, we found the child was suffering from Pneumonia. By the afternoon, he tested positive for Covid-19. His parents went traceless after that.”

Dr Birua said the child died the on May 11 around 3pm. “The hospital authorities tried to contact his parents on the numbers provided by them during registration. But, they could not be contacted despite repeated efforts,” he said.

After getting no response from the couple for three days, the hospital authority, with the permission of Ranchi district administration, performed the last rites of the child, officials said.