Jharkhand News : The healthcare system in West Singhbhum district has once again come under scrutiny after a shocking incident late Tuesday night at the district’s Sadar Hospital. In a rare and telling protest, Madhav Chandra Kunkal, the Zila Parishad member from Manjhari block, personally carried a traditional cot (“khat”) into the hospital’s emergency ward.
The unusual move came after a 70-year-old resident of Tekarahatu village, Moran Purti, was brought to the hospital in critical condition. Upon arrival, it was discovered that there wasn’t a single bed available in the emergency ward. With no other option, the patient was placed on a stretcher for treatment.
Hearing about the situation, Kunkal rushed from his home carrying a cot. Once at the hospital, he removed the patient from the stretcher and placed him on the cot in the hospital’s veranda so he could rest more comfortably while receiving medical attention.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said that the shortage of beds has been causing significant difficulties for patients and their families. Many pointed out that this was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger and ongoing crisis in the district’s healthcare facilities.
Expressing strong dissatisfaction, Kunkal stated, “The condition of the state’s healthcare system is extremely worrying. Poor patients are unable to get even the most basic facilities for treatment. The wealthy can go to bigger cities for healthcare, but rural and underprivileged people are entirely dependent on government hospitals. If a hospital cannot provide even a bed, then how can patients expect proper treatment?”
The incident sparked fresh criticism of the healthcare infrastructure in rural Jharkhand, where government-run facilities remain the primary, and often only, option for villagers. With limited resources, staff shortages, and outdated infrastructure, many district hospitals are struggling to meet the growing demand for services.
Efforts were made to contact the Civil Surgeon for a statement regarding the bed shortage, but calls went unanswered.
Local residents and patient rights groups have called for urgent government intervention to improve hospital facilities in the district. They argue that the lack of something as basic as a hospital bed is unacceptable and represents a failure of the healthcare system to meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
This incident, though unusual in its visual impact, reflects a deeper crisis—one that will require immediate attention, significant investment, and policy reforms to ensure that no patient is ever left without a bed in their time of need.
