Cuttack, July 24 (UDN): A shortage of hearse vehicles under the ‘Mahaprayan’ service at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) has triggered concern after families of deceased patients alleged they were forced to arrange private ambulances to transport bodies due to the unavailability of the free service.
Despite being Odisha’s largest referral hospital, attendants claim the existing hearse service is inadequate to meet the demand, leaving bereaved families, particularly those from economically weaker sections, to bear additional financial burdens during times of grief.
Only One Hearse Currently Operational
According to relatives of patients, SCBMCH has two hearse vehicles under the Mahaprayan scheme. However, one vehicle has reportedly remained off the road for several months due to mechanical problems, leaving only a single hearse in operation.
Family members alleged that the lone vehicle has limited operational capacity, making it difficult to cater to the large number of deaths reported at the hospital each day.
Debashish Rout, a patient’s relative, said many attendants are unaware that a free hearse facility is available.
“Thousands of patients from across Odisha come to SCB for treatment. Many families depend on the free hearse service after losing their loved ones. With only one operational vehicle, people are left with no option but to hire private ambulances,” he alleged.
Family Narrates Ordeal
The issue came into focus after the death of a patient from Berhampur in the hospital’s Medicine Ward earlier this week.
The deceased’s relative, Manas Kumar Nahak, claimed the family approached hospital authorities seeking a Mahaprayan vehicle but was informed that one would only be available later in the evening.
Unable to wait for several hours, the family hired a private ambulance at their own expense to transport the body home. Nahak said he later raised the matter on social media and also informed the State Human Rights Commission.
Calls for Strengthening Essential Services
Social worker Suresh Mohanty said improving healthcare infrastructure must go hand in hand with ensuring the availability of basic patient services.
“SCB Medical College is the state’s premier referral hospital. If families cannot access a hearse vehicle after a patient’s death, the healthcare system needs to address this gap along with infrastructure expansion,” he said.
Hospital Assures Action
Responding to the allegations, SCBMCH Superintendent Prof. Dr. Jyotish Chandra Choudhary acknowledged that the hospital had received a complaint regarding the incident.
He said one of the two Mahaprayan vehicles is currently non-functional and awaiting repairs.
“The proposal for repairing the vehicle has already been initiated through the appropriate administrative process, and approval is awaited. The second hearse is operational. If similar situations arise in future, we will examine the possibility of arranging an additional vehicle and driver to strengthen the service,” the Superintendent said.
Hospital authorities maintained that efforts are underway to restore the non-functional hearse at the earliest and improve the availability of the Mahaprayan service to ensure that bereaved families do not face unnecessary hardship during such difficult times.