A man with a fractured leg was referred to another hospital from a government facility in Bihar with only a makeshift cardboard splint wrapped around his injury, triggering concerns over the state of healthcare services in the region.
A video from the Manjhaul Sub-divisional Hospital showing the injured patient’s leg being supported with pieces of cardboard before he was referred elsewhere went viral on social media.
The incident took place on the evening of August 3, when Krishna Kumar, the patient, suffered a serious leg injury after a road accident near Harsain Bridge.
A now-viral video from the hospital showed medical staff placing cardboard pieces on both sides of Krishna’s injured leg and wrapping them with bandages as a temporary support before referring him to the Sadar Hospital in Begusarai.
Watch the video here:
Speaking about the incident, he said that he was returning home from Garhpura with his brother when an auto-rickshaw hit their vehicle, causing him to fall and injure his leg. He said he was in severe pain when a Dial 112 police vehicle took him to the Manjhaul Sub-divisional Hospital for treatment.
Krishna said that after reaching Sadar Hospital, he was given initial treatment and an IV drip. However, he claimed that he was told that a plaster cast would be applied after about a week, following which he decided to seek treatment at a private hospital.
The incident garnered attention after the video spread online, with several users questioning the condition of government healthcare facilities despite investments made in infrastructure.
However, Abhinav Priyadarshi, the in-charge of Manjhaul Sub-divisional Hospital, defended the procedure, saying that using cotton and bandages as temporary support after a fracture was not medically incorrect. He said that such measures were used as first aid to stabilise a patient before referral.
Priyadarshi added that the hospital did not have an orthopaedic doctor or a dresser available at the time of the incident, which was why the patient was provided initial support and referred to a higher centre.
Meanwhile, Begusarai Civil Surgeon Dr Ashok Kumar said he had taken note of the viral video and would investigate the matter. He added that while temporary support using cotton and bandages can be part of first aid in certain situations, the specific circumstances of this case would be examined and action would be taken if any negligence was found.
(With inputs from Sourabh Kumar)
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