Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav pays surprise visit to PMCH, assures action against defaulters

visittoPatna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Tejashwi Yadav recently paid a surprise visit to the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) for inspection, which exposed the "worsening" state of the hospital and assured that action will be taken against the defaulters and loopholes will be fixed. 

The Health Minister interacted with the officials and the patients along with their families and assured them to "mend the loopholes" in the health sector. 

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He was surprised to see the condition of the hospital where patients were lying on the floor of the veranda (corridor) of the hospital with dirt and medical waste all around. The corpses were not placed properly at the mortuary in the hospital. Stray animals were also seen roaming in the hospital.

In a video showing his surprise inspection, according to the Hindustan Times, Tejashwi could be heard speaking, "Arey idhar aao, tum logon ka stipend badhaye the na hum. Ye CCTV kahan rehta hai, kaun dekhta hai? PMCH ka sperintendent kaun hai, Thakur hai? (Hey, come here. Haven't I increased the stipend of you people. Where does this CCTV (monitor) housed, and who looks after it? Who is the superintendent of PMCH, Thakur?)"

As Tejashwi entered the hospital, the patients who were admitted put forward their complaints to him regarding the lack of facilities including medicines, toilets, and other basic facilities. The Minister expressed surprise at the unavailability of the senior doctor at the hospital during the night. Instead of the health manager, nurses were seen discharging their duties. The superintendent of PMCH also reached the hospital after Tejashwi's visit.

Speaking to ANI after concluding his inspection, Tejashwi said, "We inspected PMCH, Gardiner Hospital, and in Gardanibagh Hospital. The doctors were present in two of the hospitals. The condition of the Tata ward in PMCH is bad to worse. I got the information that people from various districts come here for treatment. I wanted to see what the problem is, be it related to the doctor or medicines." As per a media report in the Indian Express, the doctors and staff at the Gardiner Hospital took a while to figure out that the man wearing a mask who was questioning them was the Health Minister of Bihar. 

The minister was heard questioning the hospital officials, like, "Doctor Saheb, please go to the toilet and let me know if one can use it"; "Why is a body lying in a hospital corridor for four hours?"; and "Give a full list of medicines we provide to patients free of cost." 

Taking note of the complaints from patients about the unavailability of the facilities, the Minister said that it is the extent of the carelessness as senior doctors were not on duty at night. Patients who were admitted at the PMCH complained to the minister regarding the lack of basic amenities including medicines and toilets. 

"There was no senior doctor available, nor was an adequate arrangement of medicines. Cleanliness was missing. No facilities were being given to the patients. There was carelessness in everything," he said. Tejashwi assured that the state government will "mend all the loopholes". "I called the superintendent and said that it is his responsibility. There was no roster, no attendance was done. The lie was exposed. Action would be taken. Our government will mend all the loopholes," he said. 

Meanwhile, as per the Indian Express report, hours after the minister's surprise visit, the state Health Department on Wednesday conducted a review of the Patna hospitals. PMCH's Dr. Thakur said: "We have conducted a review meeting today after the surprise check by the Health Minister."

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