Blackout in hospital leaves new mothers helpless
CH NEWS, BALLARI A prolonged electrical blackout plunged the Tekkalakote Government Community Health Centre into pitch darkness on Friday, forcing new mothers, newborns, and medical attendants to rely on handheld mobile phone flashlights. The power disruption, which plagued the medical facility across Siruguppa taluk for two days, culminated in severe distress overnight. Visuals of women nursing newborn infants under smartphone torches sparked intense public outrage over hospital negligence on social media platforms. Attendants complained that on-duty nurses and ward assistants dismissed their pleas for help rather than resolving the crisis immediately. Although the healthcare center possesses an on-site diesel generator, authorities wired backup electricity solely to the outer entry lobby, reception counter, and physician consultation cabins. The postnatal and maternity wings were left without power, triggering severe backlash from patients' relatives over administrative callousness. Clarifying the lapse, Chief Administrative Medical Officer Dr. Ramakrishna claimed that an independent uninterrupted power supply (UPS) unit serves the maternity wing. He insisted that the sudden blackout occurred simply because someone inadvertently turned off the main power switch leading to the system. Taking serious note of public grievances, Siruguppa Taluk Medical Officer Dr. Basavaraja Dammoor visited the premises on Friday for an emergency inspection. The officer severely pulled up the nursing staff and support crew for failing to rectify the power fault promptly despite receiving repeated alerts from admitted patients. During the inspection, Dr. Dammoor examined basic hospital facilities, assessing food quality and safe drinking water availability across patient rooms. He instructed technical teams to overhaul the wiring network in the pediatric and postnatal wards immediately, directing staff to institute strict maintenance protocols to prevent recurring blackouts in the future. Providing reliable healthcare requires uninterrupted utility management across every ward.
