Hospital deaths

THE death of 31 patients — nearly half of them newborns and children — within 48 hours has exposed the horrible state of affairs at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital, Nanded, Maharashtra. With two government-run hospitals in Nagpur reporting 23 deaths in 24 hours, the ground situation reveals a litany of woes of poor patients and their families. They have to contend with insanitary wards, appallingly dirty toilets, lethargic staff, shortage of medicines, beds and other infrastructure needed by these hospitals to handle a large number of serious cases daily.

Even as the response of the hospital authorities and political leaders — ‘we will look into the matter’ — is on predictable lines, the tragedy has had an ugly fallout. The Nanded hospital’s acting dean, SR Wakode, has filed a defamation suit against Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil, who had come to inspect the hospital. Patil insulted Wakode by telling him to clean a dirty toilet; a video of the incident went viral, sparking an outrage. The MP faces charges of obstructing a public servant from doing his duty and defaming him.

It is sad that the authorities have been jolted into reviewing the ailing healthcare system only after the loss of precious lives. However, even if it proves to be a case of being better late than never, it would be worthwhile. A proper diagnosis of the systemic problems is needed to stem the rot. Maharashtra can no longer afford to paper over the matter as it is embroiled in another case of criminal negligence. The findings of a high-level probe into the death of 18 patients within 24 hours in August at the government-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, Thane, are awaited. Hopefully, course correction will be done to prevent such tragedies.