Man Missing From COVID Hospital In Odisha’s Dhenkanal Finally Declared Dead

Dhenkanal: Administration’s utter callousness in handling the COVID-19 situation in Dhenkanal district has come to the fore after the police informed the family members about the death of their kin who had gone missing from the COVID Care Centre three weeks ago.

Narrating the ordeal, Pradipta Behera, a resident of Barada in Sadar block in the district said that he had admitted his father Duryodhan Behera to the COVID Care Centre in Dhenkanal town on September 29 after he tested positive for the virus. On the next day, he had gone to the hospital to give some daily use items to his father. However, the hospital authorities told him that his father was shifted to a COVID hospital in Cuttack.

Based on the information, he went to Ashwini COVID Hospital in Cuttack on October 1. But the hospital authorities told him that there is no person in the name of Duryodhan admitted to the hospital and told him to check with the other COVID hospitals and COVID care homes in the city. Though he went to these hospitals, there was no trace of his father.

“Later, I approached the Dhenkanal collector and on his advice, I met the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Sujatarani Mishra who told me to visit the SCB COVID hospital in Cuttack. Although I went there, there was no trace of my father. However, I received a call from the Dhenkanal Town Police at about 10 pm last night who informed me about the death of my father at the SCB COVID Hospital. Later, I went to Cuttack where the Mangalabag Police showed me the photo of my deceased father. As I went to the hospital to bring the body of my father, the hospital authorities did not allow me to cremate my father,” said the hapless son.

Meanwhile, the family of Behera has demanded action against the gross apathy of the authorities of the COVID Care Home in Dhenkanal town and the CDMO towards them for not informing the whereabouts of their kin and even his death.