Rs 8.30-crore hospital treats patients in darkness
CH NEWS, VIJAYAPURA
A government hospital built at a cost of ₹8.30 crore became a stark symbol of administrative negligence after accident victims had to be examined and treated under the light of mobile phone torches when the power supply failed. The incident occurred at the newly constructed Community Health Centre (CHC) in DevarHipparagi on Tuesday night, after a major road accident on the Indi road left around 10 people injured, including five who reportedly sustained serious injuries. The injured were rushed to the CHC expecting immediate emergency medical care. Instead, they were confronted with an emergency ward without adequate lighting. With the power supply disrupted, doctors and medical staff were reportedly forced to use mobile phone flashlights to examine and attend to the injured. The situation became even more alarming as the hospital allegedly had no immediate alternative lighting arrangement. The CHC, constructed as a modern 30-bed facility at a cost of around Rs 8.30 crore, was expected to provide essential healthcare services to people in and around DevarHipparagi. The hospital was inaugurated in the presence of Minister for Heavy and Medium Industries MB Patil and MLA Raju Gowda Patil Kudari Salawadagi. But the power failure has now raised uncomfortable questions about the preparedness of the Health Department and the authorities responsible for maintaining the facility. According to reports, although a generator is available at the hospital, it could not reportedly be operated because diesel was unavailable. If confirmed, the issue raises a basic question: how can an emergency healthcare facility be expected to function during a power outage if its backup generator does not have fuel. The incident reportedly led to an argument between relatives of the injured and hospital staff, creating tension on the premises for some time.For a hospital's emergency department, uninterrupted lighting is not a luxury but a basic operational requirement. Doctors treating accident victims need adequate visibility to assess bleeding, wounds, fractures and other potentially life-threatening injuries. Politics around inauguration, but accountability after inauguration. The incident has also brought the politics surrounding government healthcare infrastructure under scrutiny.
