Ranchi: COVID-19 Crisis and Medical Apathy

With a dearth of doctors looming amid the surging COVID-19 crisis, a 30-year-old woman confronts the Health Minister of Jharkhand, Banna Gupta, after her COVID-infected father died at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi due to medical apathy.

The video of the woman breaking down in front of the camera, alleging that she kept on pleading for a doctor but none showed up and her father passed away on the hospital premises, recently went viral on social media.

In the video, the woman, who travelled from Hazaribagh to Jharkhand's capital Ranchi to admit her COVID-19 infected father at the Sadar Hospital, is seen crying while describing her experience as she sought treatment for her dying father.

She stated that the patient allegedly reached the hospital parking lot and waited for nearly 30 minutes, and she kept on asking for a doctor to get her father some help. However, by the time the doctor arrived, her father had already passed away.

The woman could be seen taking her dead father's body out of the hospital on a stretcher while she kept on saying that the healthcare system of the state is deteriorating. She also shouted and screamed at the hospital for not providing help within the stipulated time.

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The entire incident reportedly took place while Health Minister Banna Gupta was visiting the hospital to inspect the conditions of the COVID ward. MenXp reports that she confronted the Health Minister stating, "Mr Minister, we were crying out loud for a doctor, kept asking for a doctor for more than half an hour, nobody came to our rescue… the condition is so bad here my father died waiting…they only come here for votes."

Taking cognizance of the woman's complaints, the health minister has directed the Civil Surgeon to initiate a probe into the woman's complaint at Sadar Hospital. "A woman started crying after her father died. I am shaken by the incident. I have ordered an inquiry," he told the daily.

Many commented on the viral video on social media and have sympathized with the woman. One posted saying, "This is happening everywhere irrespective. Depends upon what condition the patient was brought in. No doubt a degree of apathy has set into the medical fraternity but sadly, they also have to decide which patient can be saved and which can't. The system is overwhelmed."

happening everywhere irrespective. depends upon what condition the patient was brought in. no doubt a degree of apathy has set into the medical fraternity but sadly, they also have to decide which patient can be saved and which cant. system is overwhelmed.

Jharkhand: Congress-UPA ruled so this video won't make headlines, but watch a wailing daughter tells the story of Governance in the state: "Doctor Doctor chillatey reh gaye, koi Poochne nhi aaya" 😢