Bihar govt, Araria civil surgeon accused of inflating Covid bed numbers amid health crisis
The Bihar government has embroiled in a new controversy in which it has been accused of falsely inflating the number of beds available at dedicated Covid-19 hospitals.
At a time when the Bihar government is already facing flak over the crumbling healthcare system, a new controversy has erupted in which it has been accused of falsely inflating the number of beds available at dedicated Covid-19 hospitals.
The controversy erupted after discrepancies were found over the claims made by Bihar government regarding beds available at the Forbesganj Covid hospital in Araria district.
According to the Covid-19 dashboard of the Bihar Health Society, the Covid-19 hospital in Forbesganj subdivision has a capacity of 100 beds. The information on the Bihar Health Society website was also endorsed by Dr. MP Gupta, a civil surgeon in Araria.
In fact, Dr. Gupta further informed the minister-in-charge of Araria, Alok Ranjan, in a recent virtual meeting regarding the Forbesganj Covid facility being a 100-bedded hospital.
"Forbesganj Covid Hospital has a capacity of 100 beds, where patients are being treated," Dr. MP Gupta told India Today TV.
However, Dr. Reshma Raza, deputy superintendent of Forbesganj sub-division hospital told India Today TV that the Covid hospital has a capacity of just 35 beds.
"This hospital earlier had a capacity of 35 beds, but now we have increased to 50," said Dr. Reshma Raza. The contrary claims have now snowballed into a massive controversy in Bihar.
Dr. MP Gupta finds himself embroiled in the controversy at a time when Bihar faces an acute health crisis over Covid. Dr Gupta has been accused of misleading minister-in-charge Alok Ranjan with wrong facts.
Based on the information provided by the Araria administration, the state government website also declared the Forbesganj hospital to be a 100-bedded hospital.
When India Today TV asked minister-in-charge Alok Ranjan, he said that civil surgeon Dr. Gupta had in fact informed him during the virtual meeting that the hospital had a capacity of 100 beds. However, on being informed about the reality, he promised taking action against the civil surgeon.
"In the virtual meeting I was informed that the hospital has a capacity of 100 beds but as the facts stand now, we will take action against the civil surgeon," said Alok Ranjan.
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