Moving With Torches, Critical Patients Left In Dark: UP Hospital Faces Night-Long Power Outage

A public hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Chandpur town was plunged into total darkness for hours after a massive power failure on Friday.

The outrage lasted for several hours, triggering chaos and panic among patients and their attendants, transforming the medical facility into darkness. The doctors were forced to provide medical treatment amid darkness, and families had to navigate wards using mobile phone torches.

Generator Failure

The situation took a serious turn when a minor technical glitch transformed into a major crisis when it was discovered that the hospital's backup generator was non-functional.

According to sources, the generator, which is supposed to kick in automatically during emergencies, was out of order for several days.

Despite repeated requests from the staff to the concerned authorities, no repairs were initiated, leaving the facility vulnerable.

As the grid failed, the entire hospital, including emergency wards and the general block, plunged into darkness.

Public Outrage

Visuals from the hospital showed the distressed relatives of the patients using their mobile phones to navigate around the hospital and seek treatment. This has raised serious concerns over patient safety and basic healthcare infrastructure.

Several patients in critical condition were seen resting on beds in the humid heat without fans or proper medical lighting.

Demands for Accountability

Social activists and local leaders have demanded an inquiry into the incident. They questioned why the backup systems were not well-maintained. The lack of basic infrastructure in a primary healthcare centre has raised serious questions about patient safety and the apparent inhuman conditions at the facility.

As of Saturday morning, electricity has been partially restored, but the generator remains unrepaired. Several activists have demanded the suspension of officials responsible for the maintenance lapse and a foolproof guarantee that such life-threatening situations do not recur.

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