Bihar hospital pastes 'bhukamp' stickers on injured

Darbhanga, Apr 28: Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) kicked up a row by pasting stickers on the foreheads of injured persons in the earthquake for identification, which were later removed.

Television grabs showed injured patients in a separate ward of the DMCH earmarked for earthquake victims with stickers reading 'bhukamp' (earthquake) on their foreheads.

Superintendent of DMCH Shankar Jha expressed regret and said it would be immediately removed.

When minister in-charge for relief work for Darbhanga district Baidyanath Sahni was drawn to the controversial episode, he told PTI, "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 described the action as wrong and said he would order immediate removal of the stickers. The DMCH authorities got the tags removed in the evening.

Nearly 15 earthquake victims had come to the DMCH initially for treatment, out of whom six are still being treated at the hospital.

PTI