Burn Victim Runs From One Hospital To Another, Not Enough Burn Wards In The Silicon Valley Of India

Janaki, the 28-year-old mother of three, suffered 25% burn injuries on her face in Monday’s cylinder burst in Ejipura area of Bengaluru. What followed was a nightmarish experience for her and her family, she was denied admission by four hospitals before finally being admitted to Victoria Hospital’s Mahabodhi Burns Centre, said a report by The New Indian Express.

On Monday afternoon, her family members were left exasperated and hopeless, seeking help desperately. Janaki and her family members are from Tamil Nadu. Her husband Saravana had to bring her in auto after the ambulance broke down.

Refusal and closed doors

Maheshwari, Janaki’s sister-in-law said, “We first went to Bowring, then to St. Philomena’s and then to Kaveri Hospital. Everywhere they said they don’t have burn wards. We went to St. John’s where they said, they had no beds though there were burn wards there. At Adugodi signal, the ambulance broke down. My brother Saravana had to take his wife in the auto,” said the report by The New Indian Express.

St John’s hospital has only six beds for burn cases and a few other beds for patients with less severity. Another family member alleged, “Our autos were stopped at Victoria Hospital’s gate saying they are not allowed inside the campus. We had to explain that the patient was inside.”

Poor state of affairs

At this juncture, Saravana lost his cool and he began venting out his anger and frustration outside the burns centre on Monday afternoon. “Nobody came to our help after the building collapsed. I had to beg people to call an ambulance. That ambulance too broke down at Koramangala,” he said, his voice ringing with helplessness and agony.

Dr HS Sathish Medical superintendent, Victoria said, “Autos stand in front of every medical hospital on the campus be it Vani Vilas or Emergency and Trauma Care. Majority of the patients come in autos. Why were they stopped at the gate and the need to be ascertained rose?”

The Logical Indian Take

Bengaluru is known to be the silicon valley of India and has an overwhelming population of over 12 million. It is one of those cities which has embraced modernity in the most fast-paced manner and is also one of the Tier 1 cities in the country.

In such a densely populated metro city, there is a scarcity of hospitals where there are burn wards. Even hospitals with a burn ward, there is a lack of beds to provide treatment to ailing patients in the time of need.

A city which is synonymous with fast-paced lifestyle, accompanied with all modern amenities, such basic infrastructure like burn wards in all hospitals is essential. The ordeal faced by Saravana and Janki should not be the fate of patients suffering from mishaps like burns, in a city like Bengaluru.

Incessant rains over the past few days have led to an insurmountable loss to human life, in the city. Due to these mishaps, Bengaluru civic body has been at the receiving end of flak from all quarters owing to their lack of sensitivity in dealing with basic infrastructural needs, like a proper drainage system in the city and reconstruction of stormwater drains.

The Logical Indian community urges the government and the civic body of the city to focus on the betterment of the basic infrastructure of the city. The government should ensure all hospitals must have burn wards and that no patient or their kith and kin have to face the same ordeal as Saravana and Janki.