The Chatra district administration has decided to deploy separate personnel for conducting postmortems on male and female bodies at the Sadar hospital in Chatra. This decision aims to streamline procedures and address concerns raised during a recent inquiry into allegations of unauthorized fee collection for autopsies earlier this week.
Inquiry Findings
The inquiry committee, headed by Chatra Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Jahoor Alam, found that the lack of resources was a key reason behind the alleged irregularities. The investigation revealed that the lone postmortem worker, Sukhdev Ram, had collected money from families to cover procedural expenses, not for personal gain. However, Alam emphasized that Ram should have informed hospital management about such costs instead of collecting them directly.
New Staffing Arrangement
Initially, Ram was replaced by another staff member, Mamta Devi. However, the administration has now decided to reinstate Ram alongside Mamta, assigning them separate duties based on the gender of the deceased. Under the new arrangement, Mamta will assist in conducting postmortems of female bodies, while Ram will handle male bodies. Alam explained that families are often reluctant to allow postmortems by a person of the opposite gender, and this move addresses that issue.
Resource Support
To mitigate resource gaps, the administration will soon provide postmortem staff with kits containing personal protective equipment (PPE), surgical blades, and other essentials. Alam noted that approximately 35 postmortem examinations are conducted every month at the hospital, and kits will be supplied accordingly to ensure such issues do not recur.
