Can Bihar’s 2nd Biggest Hospital Handle Encephalitis Emergencies?

Video Editor: Mohammad Irshad Alam
Video Producer: Fabeha Syed & Furqan Faridi

In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, encephalitis and a pathetic public healthcare system took the lives of more than 100 children. The outbreak has claimed more than 140 lives in Bihar. But, have the state’s hospitals learnt any lessons from this terrible episode?

The Quint reaches Bihar’s second biggest hospital, Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, where dilapidated buildings, filth, lack of doctors, nurses and health equipment present a horrific picture of Bihar’s health system.

Despite being the second biggest hospital in Bihar, the DMCH is criminally understaffed. A reality check of Bihar's public healthcare poses two questions: How well-equipped and ready the hospital is to deal with a medical crisis such as AES and Nipah. And is the DMCH waiting for a disaster to happen?

“There are no facilities here. You can see the condition of the building. There are very less doctors and nurses. The medicine which is supposed to betaken in the morning is being given now. Doctors are supposed too visit at 10 am and they come at 2 pm.”

Mohammad Habeebullah, Patient’s Father

“I’m suffering from leprosy. I came yesterday for treatment. They’re not treating me well. The main doctor doesn’t come only. They only send junior doctors who have no idea about the disease.”

Raj Kumar, Patient

“Every day, around 2,200-3,000 patients come for treatment here. There’s a lack of doctors, nurses and senior resident doctors. This lack of staff is around 30-40%. Nurses’ number is way lower.”

RR Prasad, Medical Superintendent, DMCH

Requesting anonymity, a doctor reveals that due to all the filth the hospital seems like a breeding ground for infection.

“Talking about infections, no fumigation happens in the Operation Theatre which means that there is always a fear looming that the patient might catch an infection. The Operation theatre doesn’t have necessary equipment and facilities. You go to the medicine ward You’ll find a TB patient, there’ll be an HIV patient, a cancer patient, all the patients are huddled together. They might catch each others’ infections. And those who have come to get a treatment are, in fact, catching more infections.”

Doctor, DMCH

With Bihar’s healthcare system falling apart, who is to be blamed for patients' distress?