Jabalpur Medical College Hospital under scrutiny over rat bite allegations

Bhopal: Jabalpur's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College Hospital has come under intense scrutiny after three individuals, including two patients, were reportedly bitten by rats in the psychiatry ward on the night of September 15, 2025. In response, the district administration has issued notices to hospital authorities, seeking a status report within three days.

The incident has raised serious concerns over the hygiene and safety standards at government-run hospitals, particularly following a similar tragedy in Indore just two weeks earlier.

An internal inquiry was initiated after two patients and an attendant were reportedly bitten by rats on Monday night in the psychiatry ward of the hospital, officials said.

Also Read:Death of 2 newborns at Indore Hospital: NHRC seeks Action Taken Report

Speaking to the Hindu, Jabalpur Collector Raghvendra Singh said that the district administration has issued notices to hospital authorities, seeking a status report on the incident within three days. “The report will also be sent to higher authorities, and any action will be initiated based on the findings,” Mr Singh said.

This latest incident comes just two weeks after a similar and more tragic event at a government hospital in Indore, where two newborns were allegedly severely bitten by rats. One infant lost four fingers, and both later died. The Madhya Pradesh High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of that case, pressing the government for answers. While the state government denied that rat bites caused the deaths — citing pre-existing medical conditions — disciplinary action was taken against several doctors and nursing staff.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that following the recent deaths of two newborns at Indore's Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital, Commissioner of Medical Education Tarun Rathi visited the hospital to review the situation. A state-level investigative team has been formed to probe the alleged role of rat bites in tragic incidents.

Also Read: Probe launched into alleged rat bite deaths at Indore Hospital

Dr Navneet Saxena, dean of the Jabalpur Medical College, said that two discharged patients and one of their attendants have complained of rat bites. “I have sought a detailed report from the superintendent about what action has been taken. Action will be taken against anyone, including the outsourced agencies, who is found responsible for this,” he said, reports the Hindu.

A doctor from the hospital revealed that patients had raised concerns about rats over the weekend, but the probe found that some staff members allegedly ignored the complaints. One of the victims had come from Gotegaon in Narsinghpur district with his mother for treatment. He mentioned, “I was sleeping on the floor beside my mother’s bed around 3 a.m. when a rat bit me. It also bit my mother.”