NEW DELHI: Last week on Tuesday, a nine-year old girl, Roshan, from the outskirts of Lakhisarai in Bihar died in Patna due to high fever. A shocking photograph of her father carrying his dead child on his shoulders appeared in media, sending a wave of outrage across all sections of the people. 

This shocker recalled the heart-wrenching incident of Dana Manjhi from Kalahandi in Odisha, which made national headlines in September last year, as he travelled 10 kms carrying the body of his wife on his shoulders.

The media reports claimed that the adolescent girl in Patna died after the Outpatient Department (OPD) at the government-run All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna allegedly denied the registration of the patient, compelling the father to run from one counter to another in search of immediate treatment, but his efforts failed. 

ANI news agency reported, the victim’s family was also denied ambulance services by the AIIMS authorities. As Rambalak couldnÂt afford a private vehicle to take her child home, he was forced to carry her body on his shoulders. However, AIIMS has refuted the allegations.

Talking exclusively to theindiasaga.com on this issue, Dr. Prabhat Kumar Singh, Director, AIIMS Patna said that no such incident was reported at AIIMS. 

ÂThe man didnÂt report it to the anybody. He was spotted 3 kms away from the AIIMS, as reported by the ETV. For an instance even if I believe that Roshan died in the OPD of AIIMS, how is it possible that no one standing nearby raised voice against it or complained? We have four counters of OPD, where security officials are deputed. Since the OPD is always crowded, I donÂt buy this fact that no one saw the victim inside the campus. Rambalak also reportedly agreed in media that he didnÂt talk to anybody at AIIMS OPD. In any such critical cases, we always ensure primary treatment without any formalities. I have inquired into the matter personally. We got to know at 7 pm that such an incident is being reported near Fulwarisharif. I refuse to believe that due to AIIMS ignorance a child has died, he added.

Since its inception, AIIIMS has no emergency services in Patna.  ÂAIIMS Patna doesnÂt have the license of blood bank so the emergency services are not full-fledged in operation. But we always provide the first aid to the patients who come to this hospital in critical conditions. 

Recently, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini  Kumar Choubey made a controversial statement about the natives of Bihar coming for treatment in AIIMS, Delhi and also called them a Âburden on the premier hospital. He had said that the residents of Bihar come to Delhi for the treatment of even Âsmall ailments’. 

Ashwini Choubey is elected from Buxar, about 130 kms from Patna. This reporter tried to contact him but he was said to be unavailable. The India Saga contacted the office of the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, for a statement but her Officer on Special Duty (OSD) did not respond. 

The latest incident only underlines the lack of primary healthcare services in Bihar. So far the victim’s family has not received any assurance of compensation from either the State government.