Doctors treat patients under flashlights after power outage at Telangana Hospital, Superintendent suspended

Zaheerabad: A shocking video showing patients being treated under mobile phone flashlights during a power outage at the emergency ward of the Government Area Hospital in Zaheerabad recently went viral on social media.   

The video, which surfaced on Sunday, shows doctors and medical staff providing emergency care in the dark, using mobile phone torches for light while patients lie on beds. The incident occurred when the hospital staff failed to activate the backup generator on time, despite the hospital seeing a footfall of over 300 patients daily. 

Following the incident, the Telangana Health Department took quick action and suspended the hospital’s in-charge superintendent, Dr V Sreedhar Kumar, on allegations of serious administrative lapses.

According to South First news report, the incident occurred on Friday when a total power outage hit the hospital, forcing doctors to use mobile flashlights to treat patients, as many others were still waiting for medical treatment. 

In response to the incident, the state’s Health Minister, Damodar Raja Narasimha, ordered a full inquiry after the video caused public anger and criticism from opposition leaders. 

A joint report by the Sangareddy District Collector and the Commissioner of Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) confirmed that Dr Kumar had failed to follow emergency response procedures during the power outage. The inquiry also revealed that although a generator was present at the hospital, there was a delay in starting it, which caused a temporary yet significant disruption in emergency services.

Meanwhile, Dr Sreedhar Kumar, who has over 26 years of experience and has been heading the hospital since 2023, said the power outage lasted for about 30 minutes around 1:30 pm on Friday and only affected outpatient (OP) services.

Speaking to TNIE, Dr Sreedhar Kumar said, “There was a power disruption in the hospital around 1.30 pm on Friday for about half an hour. Only the OP examination was being done, and no surgery or major medical procedure was underway at that time. Only OP ward services were affected.”

To prevent such incidents from happening again, the health department has issued fresh instructions to all hospital superintendents across the state, mandating that generators must remain operational at all times and ensuring that no patient should suffer due to administrative negligence. It also stated that if any dereliction of duty is found and a person fails to fulfil their responsibility, then the government will take strict disciplinary action against them. 

Doctors' association in rage

The suspension of Dr V Sreedhar Kumar, the in-charge Medical Superintendent of the Government Area Hospital in Zaheerabad, has triggered anger among government doctors in Telangana. Many doctors have called the decision unfair and said it affects the morale of medical professionals working under pressure. Therefore, they have demanded the revocation of the suspension order. 

Calling the suspension order “unjust,” the Telangana Government Doctors’ Association (TGGDA) strongly opposed the move, stating that doctors are often blamed and punished for unfortunate incidents without a proper investigation. The association said this trend of holding healthcare professionals accountable without due process is unfair, especially when they are working under pressure and in difficult conditions. Such actions, they added, seriously impact doctors' morale and their dedication to public service. 

TGGDA president Dr B Narahari demanded that the suspension be immediately revoked. He told TNIE, “The incident must be thoroughly investigated instead of making decisions under political pressure. We demand the immediate revocation of the suspension of the doctor and the constitution of an independent inquiry committee to investigate such incidents thoroughly and fairly. We also urge the government to conduct a statewide infrastructure audit of all government hospitals.”

Referring to the incident, the association stressed that maintaining backup power systems and emergency lighting is the responsibility of the hospital’s administrative authorities. It further called for regular audits, transparent accountability, and strict maintenance protocols.

"It is not acceptable for a doctor to be forced to treat patients using a mobile flashlight in a government hospital," the association stated. The association further said that, according to standard protocol, the head of the department (HOD) must first submit a preliminary report regarding the conduct of the doctors involved.

Also read- Karnataka Doctor treat patient under mobile flashlight amid power cut