Wrong Covid-19 victim cremated

Imphal: A cadaver of a 78 years old man who expired of Covid-19 found cremated at Minuthong cremation ground in Imphal East by another family while the family members were trying to get authorisation from the district deputy commissioner on Wednesday.

The deceased Warepam Jugindro, 78, son of late W. Shamu of Top, Imphal East was admitted at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) on Monday and succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday at about 2.50 am.

When the son of the deceased was trying to get authorisation to take the body for last rite the body was found cremated by another family member of a Covid-19 victim, at Minuthong on the same day.

Son of the deceased W. Arunkumar Singh said as per protocols of government the death report was sent to Imphal East DC and with an order issued from the DC the body has to be received by the family member.

But the body of his father was found cremated before he gets the body.

He strongly condemned JNIMS authority. Handing over a body to an unknown family shows that the authority of new Covid ward has failed to function properly, he said.

To avoid such a mistake the incident should be enquired properly, he added.

State health advisor to chief minister, Sapam Ranjan came to JNIMS hospital to monitor the incident as per instruction from chief minister N. Biren Singh.

He told media that the incident was a major lapse of JNIMS hospital. Necessary steps will be taken for the lapse immediately in order to avoid similar incident in the near future.

Director of JNIMS, Dr Th Bhimo said the incident happened was a rare case for the hospital. He said the medical staffs including doctors and nurses have been attending to monitor the Covid infected persons round the clock. There were three similar death cases in the hospital in Covid ward of the hospital. As the medical staff were working under extreme stress and strain the address of the body might have put wrongly, he added.

As per protocol the body of a Covid infected person has to be wrapped completely with a black plastic and might be due to the reason the medical staffs carried the mistake, he said.