Hospital Services Crippled by Protest Over Theft Allegation

Operations at Kaushambi district hospital were severely impacted on Thursday when over 50 outsourced employees initiated a sit-in protest. This demonstration, lasting about 90 minutes at the main OPD gate, disrupted crucial services including patient registration, medicine distribution, and diagnostic procedures. The protest arose from a patient's accusation that a staff nurse stole a gold and diamond ring during an ECG examination on Wednesday.

Escalating the situation, the outsourced staff alleged that the patient, her husband, and brother-in-law physically assaulted the nursing staff. The confrontation continued into Wednesday night, leading to the Thursday protest. During the disruption, the family of a 40-year-old woman claimed that delays in treatment after her critical arrival at the emergency department led to her death.

However, chief medical superintendent Dr. Pankaj Tiwari contested this, stating the patient had ingested poison and that hospital services largely remained functional. The hospital reported a lower-than-average patient registration of 804 on Thursday, with many traveling patients turned away. Both involved parties have filed complaints. This incident echoes a similar allegation from September 11 at the medical college's MCHC.

Growing security concerns have been voiced by hospital staff and doctors, citing the inconsistent activity of the on-site police outpost and a perceived lack of senior administrative intervention during altercations. Dr. Tiwari announced a four-member committee to investigate the current dispute and mentioned the upcoming deployment of six female security personnel.