In a shocking incident in the wake of the earthquake in Bihar, Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) pasted stickers on the foreheads of injured persons in the earthquake for identification.
The outrage by relatives of the injured in the earthquake over the move forced the hospital staff to remove the stickers – DMCH authorities got the tags removed in the evening on Tuesday.
Superintendent of DMCH Shankar Jha expressed regret over tagging the earthquake injured in such an insensitive manner.
Television grabs showed injured patients in a separate ward of the DMCH earmarked for earthquake victims with stickers reading ‘bhukamp’ (earthquake) on their foreheads.
When minister in-charge for relief work for Darbhanga district Baidyanath Sahni was drawn to the controversial episode, he said, “I inquired with the DMCH Superintendent on the issue and directed him to get it removed at once.”
Sahni said he had asked the Superintendent to probe the matter and fix responsibilities.
“I am at present in the interior areas of Darbhanga district and on return, will visit DMCH to look at the matter,” he said.
District Magistrate Kumar Ravi too described the action as wrong and said he would order immediate removal of the stickers.
Nearly 15 earthquake victims in Bihar had come to the DMCH initially for treatment, out of whom six are still being treated at the hospital.