A power failure at Ballari’s Super Speciality Trauma Centre in Karnataka on Thursday evening left doctors struggling to treat patients, with one team resorting to using a mobile phone torch to stitch a patient’s wound. The incident, which lasted for about 15-20 minutes, has sparked public outrage, with locals criticizing the hospital’s poor management and lack of maintenance.
The trauma centre, established jointly by the Union and state governments two years ago, has faced multiple complaints since its inception, including issues related to infrastructure and staffing. These concerns have added to the growing debate over the quality of government healthcare in Karnataka.
A relative of a patient who was rushed to the emergency ward following an accident recounted the disturbing scene. “Around 7 pm, the power suddenly went out. There was no immediate action from the hospital staff, and we witnessed patients struggling. The doctors had no choice but to complete the stitches using the flashlight from a mobile phone,” he said. The outage caused particular distress for patients on ventilators.
This incident is the latest in a series of troubling events at Karnataka’s public health facilities. Recently, a nurse at a government hospital was suspended for using Fevikwik adhesive instead of stitches to treat a child’s deep facial wound, which sparked further concerns over medical standards.
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