Goa Medical College wrongly disposes off body of 24-yr-old man, HOD faces Suspension

Panaji: In a major goof up, body of a 24-year-old man was disposed by the Forensic Medicine Department of Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) instead of unclaimed body of a 45 year-old-man even as Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday announced that he had ordered the suspension of three persons involved in the goof up.

Addressing a press conference at his office at Miramar in the city, Mr Rane said the matter could not be taken lightly as it was a lapse on the part of the Goa Medical College (GMC).

"I visited GMC and inquired about the incident. Through Health Secretary I have initiated the inquiry as to submit the report within eight days. Instructions have been given to Health Secretary Ashok Kumar to suspend Dr Edmundo J Rodrigues, Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, Goa Medical College, Dr Machindra Zalmi, Junior Technician, Prakash Narvekar, post-mortem attendant, both from Department of Forensic Medicine, GMC. This lapse cannot be excused and in future if action is required, we will take,'' he said.

Dr Pradeep G Naik, Dean, GMC, in his report submitted to the Health Minister said,''It has been observed that there has been a very serious lapse from the part of the officials in handing over the body without proper verification.''

According to Dr Naik, the dead body of one Januz Gonsalves (24), the resident of Aldona, Bardez, in North Goa was handed over to Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) for disposal.

''It was brought to my notice at around 11.40 am on 29-09-2018 (Saturday) by the Department of Forensic Medicine that dead body of Januz Gonsalves was handed over to the CCP authorities inadvertently instead of the dead body of Vishant Naik (45) for disposal,'' Dr Naik said in the report.