CRORES WORTH OF MACHINES AT ARA SADAR HOSPITAL, YET PATIENTS SUFFER

CRORES WORTH OF MACHINES AT ARA SADAR HOSPITAL, YET PATIENTS SUFFER

28-DEC-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) established at the Sadar Hospital in Arrah, Bhojpur district, remains non-functional for years despite being equipped with state-of-the-art equipment worth crores of rupees. The main reason for this is the severe shortage of essential medical personnel and support staff. This serious situation is endangering the lives of patients and forcing them to resort to expensive private healthcare services. These statements were made by former MLA Manoj Manzil.

Former MLA Manoj Manzil has expressed his deep concern over this pressing issue. He stated that since the time of the Covid pandemic, he has raised this issue several times in the assembly sessions and in district-level review meetings with Health Minister Mangal Pandey. He has been continuously raising this important issue for the last five years, but the Sadar Hospital's ICU has not yet become fully operational.

Due to this non-functional ICU, dozens of patients are referred from the Sadar Hospital every day. Many of these patients go to higher government centers like PMCH, IGIMS, AIIMS, or NMCH, Patna, hoping for better treatment. Meanwhile, a large number of patients fall prey to expensive treatment in private hospitals in Arrah or Patna.

It is often observed that when the condition of the patients worsens and their money runs out, they are then referred to higher government centers. In such cases, they often do not get a bed in the emergency ward, due to which they succumb to death without proper treatment. When caught in the clutches of touts, patients lose both their money and their lives.

Former MLA Manzil also questioned the functioning of private hospitals. He said that in many private hospitals, touts are more active than doctors, medical staff, and medical equipment. These touts get an opportunity when there is a shortage of beds in government hospitals, lack of proper treatment, or life-threatening negligence due to a shortage of manpower. The former MLA said that according to the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), it is mandatory for all district hospitals to have a fully functional intensive care unit (ICU). Despite this, the ICU at Ara Sadar Hospital and almost all other district hospitals in Bihar are still not fully operational. This situation presents a worrying picture of the state's healthcare services and is a violation of the health rights of millions of ordinary citizens.