Failure of Punjab Controller of Stores irks forensic fraternity

Gagan K. Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 27

The round-the-clock availability of cold room for preserving dead bodies in the mortuary of the Government Rajindra Hospital here is a matter of priority for the hospital administration, but the casual approach and failure of the Controller of Stores, Punjab, in issuing the work order for construction of a new cold room to preserve dead bodies in the mortuary of Rajindra Hospital has irked the faculty of Forensic Medicine Department of the Government Medical College, Patiala.

The Controller of Stores, Punjab, has issued the work order for the construction of a new cold room at the Government Medical College, Amritsar, but has refused the same for the Government Medical College in Patiala, home town of Punjab Chief Minster Captain Amarinder Singh and Health and Medical Education Minister Brahm Mohindra, on the ground that no such action is required by the office of the Controller Stores for the construction of a new cold room.

This has resulted in delay of the construction of the cold room leading to embarrassment to the general public as the present cold chambers installed in the mortuary of Rajindra Hospital often remain out of order.

According to the doctors of the Forensic Medicine Department, new chambers in the mortuary were installed just 15 months ago before the present government took over. But these chambers often remain out of order, thus posing a threat of putrefaction of the dead bodies kept in these chambers.

On an average, more than 900 post-mortem examinations are conducted per year at Rajindra Hospital and cold chambers are supposed to be kept functional round the clock as sometimes dead bodies are required to be preserved for days, especially unidentified dead bodies and even for keeping the dead bodies when relatives come from abroad for cremation.

The office of the principal of the Government Medical College, Patiala, has once again written to the Director of Medical Education, Punjab, to take up the matter on a priority as there is a dire need of construction of a new cold room in the hospital keeping in view the coming summer season as confirmed by Dr KK Aggarwal, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine.

According to Dr DS Bhullar, president Punjab Academy of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, the cold room issue must be sorted out on a priority and there is also a need to conduct an inquiry about the poor quality of the cold chambers presently lying in the mortuary of the hospital.