Chandigarh, July 15: The incident in which the body of an unclaimed deceased patient was dumped outside the cremation ground at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, is extremely shameful, inhuman and condemnable. This is not merely a case of administrative negligence, but a painful reflection of the deteriorating healthcare system under the Bhagwant Mann Government in Punjab.
Paramjit Singh Kainth, Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party Scheduled Caste Morcha, Punjab, said that what the Punjab Government had projected as its major achievement under the banner of a "Health Revolution" has today completely failed on the ground. Negligence in hospitals, shortage of doctors and staff, unavailability of medicines and the hardships being faced by patients clearly indicate that Punjab's healthcare system needs genuine and fundamental reforms, not merely slogans and advertisements.
He said that every human being, even after death, deserves to be treated with dignity, and it is the moral as well as legal responsibility of every civilized society and government institution to ensure respectful handling of the deceased. An incident like the one in Faridkot is not merely the failure of one hospital; it raises serious questions about the functioning of the Health Department and the Government's oversight.
Paramjit Singh Kainth said that merely suspending lower-level employees is not enough. The Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education and Research, Dr. Balbir Singh, who heads the State Health Department, should accept the moral and administrative responsibility for this incident. If such inhuman and serious incidents are taking place in government hospitals, accountability cannot be limited only to lower-level employees.
He demanded that a high-level, impartial and time-bound inquiry be conducted, accountability of all responsible officials be fixed, and strict legal as well as departmental action be taken against those found guilty. He further demanded that all government medical colleges and hospitals across the State ensure respectful treatment of patients and deceased persons and strictly adhere to prescribed protocols.
He said that the people of Punjab will no longer be misled by hollow claims and publicity campaigns. They deserve a healthcare system that is compassionate, accountable and trustworthy. The Government must move beyond publicity and focus on improving the quality of healthcare services, upholding human dignity and ensuring administrative accountability.