Mobile flashlight lights up OT in infrastarved J’khand hospital

WHILE THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AT THE HOSPITAL IS OUT OF ORDER, THE GENERATOR BACK UP SYSTEM HAS BEEN

LYING DEFUNCT FOR

THE LAST ONE WEEK

Flash lights do not only facilitate commuting, or searching something in the dark. They also help doctors operate critical and injured patients.

One does not have to travel far to witness it. Its happening in a hospital barely 80 km from Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi in Balumath area of Latehar district.

On Wednesday night, as rescuers rushed two patients — mother-son duo —injured in a bus-van collision to the Balumath community health centre, doctors had to use mobile flashlights to attend to them. While the electricity supply is out of order, the generator back up system was lying defunct for last one week.

Dr Purushottam, who treated the patients, said, “The electric supply line has some faults and the generator needs repair. We have no other option but to somehow attend to the patients.”

Hospital staff, requesting anonymity said, “The medical officer in-charge Dr Amarnath does not pay heed to the problems plaguing the hospital as he is missing from duty most of the time. We have apprised him about the power crisis due to the defunct generator but he doesn’t pay heed.”

HT found out that the medical officer doesn’t stay in Balumath. He stays in Chandwa and spends few hours in the morning at the hospital before commuting back in the afternoon.

Admitting to the lapses, Latehar civil surgeon A Ekka said, “We are somehow managing Balumath CHC in a temporary shelter. We urgently need a full-fledged building to improve our services there.”