Power Outage Cripples Gwalior's District Hospital, Seven Surgeries Postponed

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): A nearly six-hour power outage at Morar District Hospital on Saturday disrupted essential healthcare services, forcing the postponement of seven surgeries and suspending X-ray and CT scan tests for hours. The blackout also affected the blood bank, post-operative wards and other hospital facilities, leaving patients and relatives struggling with heat, delayed diagnostics and inadequate amenities despite temporary generator arrangements made by the hospital management.

Seven scheduled surgeries had to be postponed because of the power outage, including four operations in the ophthalmology department and three in the surgery department.

Diagnostic Tests Hit

X-ray and CT scan services at Morar District Hospital remained suspended for several hours. Many patients waiting for diagnostic tests returned without getting them done. The hospital later arranged generator power for the CT scan facility, allowing tests to resume.

Around 150 X-rays are normally conducted during outpatient department (OPD) hours every day. On Saturday, X-ray services remained affected for nearly six hours and resumed only after electricity was restored.

While generator power was available in the OPD, several other parts of the district hospital remained without electricity.

Patients admitted to the post-operative ward of the orthopaedic department faced severe discomfort after fans and coolers stopped working during the power outage. Relatives used hand fans to provide relief to patients.

Blood Bank Affected

The power failure also affected temperature control at the hospital's blood bank, raising concerns over the safe storage of blood. The blood bank in-charge informed the hospital management about the situation.

Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr JPN Sharma and Assistant Manager Dr Rajesh Birtharia later arranged a temporary generator supply for the blood bank. However, relatives who had come to collect blood had to wait.

Patients also complained about the heat, lack of water in toilets and poor cleanliness at the hospital.

Dr Sharma said generator supply was available in the OPD and alternative arrangements were made in areas where generator power was unavailable. A separate power supply was arranged for the blood bank.

The prolonged power outage has raised questions over Morar District Hospital's backup power arrangements for essential healthcare services.