42 days after husband’s death, wife comes to know that he is ‘heading home’; Ayushman Bharat declares him ‘recovered’

In Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh, a chilling case has come to light involving a police constable who was declared deceased 42 days after his actual passing. Devnarayan Ram, the deceased constable, was admitted to Ambikapur Medical College Hospital on June 26, 2022, as his health had rapidly declined. He unfortunately succumbed to his illness just four days later on June 30, 2022.

The hospital promptly issued an official death certificate thereafter. However, Ayushman Bharat scheme records revealed that his medical treatment continued on paper for an extended period. This discrepancy was brought to light when his wife, Seema Kujur, received an alarming SMS from the Ayushman Sarathi system congratulating her husband on his recovery and informing him that he was heading home.

Kujur, a fellow staff nurse, expressed her shock and outrage at the hospital officials, demanding a thorough investigation into this serious lapse. She questioned how such a system could remain oblivious to a patient's death for such an extended period, hinting at potential larger issues within the scheme that could affect vulnerable communities.

Dr RC Arya, the hospital superintendent, responded by admitting that no treatment package was deducted after the constable's death and questioning the credibility of his wife's allegations. He also mentioned that an automatic SMS was sent to the family which was beyond their control. The hospital plans to request that such messages be halted after a patient's death.

Dr P S Marko, Sarguja's Chief Medical and Health Officer, acknowledged the hospital's operational shortcomings, attributing the issue to the hospital staff's negligence and delayed updates.