Bihar hospital waterlogged after heavy rains; staffer rides motorcycle to reach patients

As a result of the heavy rains that followed Cyclone Yaas in Bihar, several notable hospitals and medical centres have experienced severe waterlogging. Following incessant rains in the past week, images from one such hospital in Katihar has gone viral, showing a medical staffer riding a bicycle inside the building's hallways to reach a patient via the waterlogged corridors.

Doctor rides a motorcycle in waterlogged hospital 

News agency ANI obtained the images in Katihar's Sadar hospital, where the wards, as well as the OPD, were flooded. Despite the challenges caused by the significant waterlogging, hospital staff continue to provide as much assistance and support to patients. A hospital staffer is seen riding a motorcycle in the waterlogged hospital premises to reach the patients in the video. 

The Sadar Hospital in Katihar isn't the only Bihar hospital that's been flooded. In the midst of an overburdened healthcare system, the premises of Bihar's oldest hospital, Darbhanga Medical College & Hospital (DMCH), were found in a sad state, with waterlogged premises.

Also, former Member of Parliament (MP) Pappu Yadav posted a photo from a flooded hospital in Darbhanga, Bihar, referring to it as a "floating hospital." He tweeted, "Amazing development, a floating hospital in Bihar Darbhanga Medical College drowned in one day's rain. Now, there is so much water that shameless whole health department can die drowning! Did I say right, Mangal Pandey ji?" (roughly translated)

Hospitals situation in Bihar

Doctor Ashutosh Kumar, who works in the COVID ICU unit, claimed that doctors and nurses are at the mercy of God, with significant risks of infection from trash and waterlogging on the premises, but they are powerless to stop it. He said as he described the misery, "The path to the new nurses' hostel, especially for those serving in the COVID wards, is damaged and water-logged."

After the video went viral, social media users questioned that who is responsible for the situation of the hospital. Some criticized the Nitish government and some demanded inquiry. One of the users wrote, "We always blame govt and politicians (any party it may be) for everything!!! But for such small things initiation has to come from Hospital authorities and staff itself!!! Has the hospital run out of funds??? Has any politician refused to give funds even after requesting???" Another wrote, "Double Engine Sarkar is running at bullet-train speed."

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: ANI