Bereaved Odisha Family Forced to Pawn Ration Card to Transport Dead Newborn A grieving family in Odisha had to mortgage their ration card to raise 5,000 rupees for a private vehicle after an official hearse was denied following the death of their newborn. A distressing breakdown of public healthcare support has emerged from Nabarangpur district in Odisha, where an impoverished family had to mortgage their ration card simply to take home the body of their deceased infant. Struggling under the sudden loss of their newborn son, the parents were left stranded without the state-run Mahaprayan hearse service, ultimately forcing them to scrape together 5,000 rupees to hire a private ambulance for the journey back to their village. Referrals Across Hospitals for Underweight Newborn The sequence of events began when Ambika Nayak, a resident of Daleguda village in Nabarangpur district, gave birth to a boy on September 29 at the Papadahandi community health centre. The infant was critically underweight at birth, prompting attending doctors to refer him to the Nabarangpur district headquarters hospital for specialized care. As the child required further medical intervention, he was subsequently shifted to Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital situated in Koraput. Tragic Death and Bureaucratic Indifference Despite treatment at the premier facility, the newborn passed away late on Thursday night. While the grief-stricken family was grappling with the tragedy, arranging transportation for the infant's remains became an insurmountable obstacle. Medical staff advised the relatives to utilize the government's Mahaprayan hearse fleet to carry the body home. However, when the relatives requested the facility, staff informed them that the vehicle had developed engine trouble and could not undertake a journey spanning roughly 60 kilometres. Ten Hours of Futile Waiting and Insensitive Suggestions Relatives of the deceased child, including family member Pushta Bhatra, recounted that hospital staff initially assured them a hearse would arrive by roughly 1 am. Relying on those assurances, the family waited by the body throughout the cold night. By 10 am the following morning, no government vehicle had materialized. To compound their ordeal, relatives alleged that certain staff members even suggested burying the child near the medical facility or carrying the mortal remains on a motorcycle. Pawning the Ration Card for the Final Rites Determined to conduct the final rites in their ancestral village according to traditional customs, the impoverished household had no choice but to find money immediately. Lacking sufficient cash savings, they pledged their ration card to secure emergency funds. With the 5,000 rupees collected, they engaged a private ambulance to transport the newborn back to Daleguda, where family members performed the funeral according to their community traditions. What this means for you This incident underscores the severe ground-level delivery gaps in subsidized healthcare schemes and the acute financial vulnerability of marginalized citizens. • Across India: It highlights chronic systemic hurdles in ensuring that welfare transport schemes reach the poorest segments. Families frequently encounter steep out-of-pocket costs during life emergencies when public infrastructure fails. • In Odisha: It draws immediate attention to the operational reliability of the Mahaprayan hearse service in tribal districts. Rural residents are forced into distress borrowing simply to claim deceased kin with dignity. • For Patients' Families: The total absence of backup arrangements at referral hospitals leaves vulnerable citizens stranded. Such administrative lapses compound profound personal tragedy with severe financial distress. • On Administrative Accountability: Inadequate maintenance of essential emergency vehicles directly disrupts basic civic rights. Failure to resolve vehicle breakdowns forces marginalized families to pawn vital documents for private transport. Why this happened The situation arose directly from a mechanical failure in the state-run hearse fleet compounded by the hospital's lack of alternative transport protocols. • Direct Trigger: Hospital staff declared that the Mahaprayan vehicle suffered from engine trouble. Consequently, the crew refused to drive the roughly 60-kilometre distance to the village. • Administrative Failure: Relatives were assured that transport would arrive by 1 am, only to be left waiting until 10 am the next morning. No contingency vehicle was arranged by hospital authorities during the night. • Financial Vulnerability: The impoverished household lacked the liquid cash necessary to afford the 5,000-rupee private quote. Determined to honour funerary customs back home, they were forced into pledging their ration card. Questions & Answers 1. Where did this incident occur? The incident involved a family from Daleguda village in Nabarangpur district, whose infant died at a hospital in Koraput, Odisha. 2. Which hospital was the infant admitted to? The newborn was receiving treatment at Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital in Koraput. 3. Why was the family forced to pawn their ration card? They pledged their ration card to borrow 5,000 rupees to pay for a private ambulance after the state hearse was denied. 4. Why was the government vehicle unavailable? Hospital staff claimed the Mahaprayan hearse had engine problems and could not cover the 60-kilometre distance. https://trendkia.com/en/odisha/odisha-men-enbulensa-ke-lie-rashana-karda-giravi-rakhane-para-majabura-hua-shokakula-parivara-46034 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.