Peon stitches man’s wound in Haryana hospital

ROHTAK: In yet another case of medical apathy in government-run hospitals in Rohtak, Haryana, a Class IV employee, wearing khakhi uniform, stitched a patient’s wound in the emergency ward of Rohtak Civil Hospital.

This is second such case in last three months —in August, a Class IV was caught on video stitching wound of an accident victim in a government-run hospital in Rohtak district’s Sampla. The unskilled helper attended the patient even when doctors and nurses were present within the hospital premises.

Patient Joginder Kumar

In the recent case, a two-and-a-half minute video showed the Class IV employee stitching the patient’s wound in the Rohtak Civil Hospital late on Saturday night but no doctors or nurses could be seen in the emergency ward.

Joginder Kumar, a resident of Kripal Nagar of Rohtak district said he was rushed to the civil hospital for treatment late on Saturday night after hurt his hand. The doctors present in the emergency ward directed the Class IV employee, donning uniform, to stitch the bleeding patient’s wound and then dress it. “My friend, who was with me, recorded the peon giving me stitches on his phone camera and then shared it on the social media to expose the reality of government-run hospitals,” he said.

The video also showed the emergency ward wearing a deserted look.

There is no paucity of doctors at the Rohtak Civil Hospital, according to sources, but they tend to adopt casual attitude towards emergency patients unless it was a special case.

Rohtak chief medical officer Dr Anil Kumar Birla confirmed the video was genuine and said he had ordered an investigation. “I have marked an enquiry to look into the facts of the matter and due action would be taken against those found guilty of negligence,” Dr Birla added.