Patna: At Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), a horrific incident occurred to 45-year-old Awadhesh Kumar. Admitted to the orthopaedics ward for diabetic neuropathy, the differently abled man awoke to find his toes bleeding, eaten by rats while he slept. “I saw blood coming out of my toes… I didn’t know what had happened,” he recalled, shocked. His family, already strained, alerted hospital authorities but faced bureaucratic delays.
Rats in the ward were a known issue, with prior complaints ignored. After this incident, a ward boy was suspended, notices issued to a nurse, health manager, and clerk, and an anti-rat campaign began. Health minister Mangal Pandey remained silent, while opposition voices called it a moral failure. Dr. Rashmi Prasad, the superintendent, promised action, but it offered little comfort to Awadhesh.
NMCH has faced ongoing complaints of filth, overcrowding, and poor care. This incident symbolizes a collapsing healthcare system.
Written by: Prabhash Kumar, University of Hyderabad, Intern.
