Tejashwi Yadav slams Bihar govt over wretched condition of Purnea hospital

RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav conducted a surprise late-night inspection of the GMCH (Government Medical College) and Hospital in Purnea and criticised the state of healthcare facilities, calling it a 'shameful reflection' of 20 years of NDA rule in Bihar.

In a detailed post on X, Tejashwi Yadav described the hospital's condition as 'wretched' and accused the NDA government of prioritising infrastructure over essential staffing and equipment. He also released a video highlighting the situation inside the hospital, urging people to 'see for themselves' the ground reality.

“This is not a district hospital or a primary health centre, but a so-called medical college. Even here, there is no ICU, no cardiology department, and trauma care services are non-functional,” he wrote.

Among the key concerns he flagged:

• Severe overcrowding: Three patients were reportedly found sharing one bed.

• Poor hygiene: Bedsheets were allegedly not changed for 15–20 days, and toilets were unusable for orthopaedic or differently-abled patients.

• Acute staff shortage: Out of 255 sanctioned nursing posts, only 55 are currently filled. At any given time, only around 18 nurses are on duty across three shifts.

• Vacancies across departments: 80 per cent of medical officer posts remain vacant; numerous departments are non-functional due to lack of professors or assistant professors.

• Delayed stipends: Medical interns have allegedly not been paid for six months.

• Patients forced to go private: Due to lack of facilities, around 10,000 people reportedly seek treatment daily in private hospitals in the area.

Tejashwi further accused the government of focusing on construction contracts and large-scale purchases of medical equipment for "commission-based corruption", without ensuring trained staff to operate them.

He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is expected to visit Purnea, urging him to visit the hospital during his trip and witness the situation firsthand.

“Before giving sermons on Bihar’s progress, the Prime Minister should acknowledge the massive failures in healthcare, education, and employment under 20 years of NDA’s rule in the state,” he added.

Tejashwi’s visit and scathing remarks have reignited debate over Bihar's public health infrastructure, particularly in the run-up to the assembly elections.