‘Khats’ enter Rohtak PGIMS wards; 2 patients on one bed a common sight

The abysmal condition of hospitals in the state came to the fore once again on Saturday with Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) using ‘khats’ in place of beds in its specially set up ward to accommodate increasing patients of vector-borne diseases.

Officials at the PGIMS said every year a special ward is made during this season to treat the epidemic of vector-borne diseases in the state. However, what is worrying is that the hospital authorities never care to prepare beforehand to deal with the crisis.

To add to the woes of patients, a single bed in the ward is being shared by at least two patients due to shortage, while those forced to sleep on the khats are not even given bed sheets.

The patients accused the hospital authorities of working on references. “Those who have contacts here get the beds, while people like me who don’t know anyone get khats without even bed sheets. From giving platelets to checking patients, everything seems to be working through approach here,” said a patient, lying on a khat.

When contacted, PGIMS director Dr RK Gupta first denied the usage of khats, but then justified it citing a large number of patients coming to the hospital. “The khats belong to the hospital and are being used due to shortage of beds for large number of patients.”

On being asked why no preparations were made in advance to contain the epidemic, he hang up the phone. Over 140 cases of dengue and chikungunya have been reported in the district in the past one month.