AC Breakdown at MGM Hospital Enters 18th Day, Patients from Burn Ward Suffer 

Jamshedpur

Despite tall claims by administrative officials promising rapid improvements in the management of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College and Hospital, the reality on the ground remains grim. The hospital’s air conditioning (AC) system has been completely non-functional for the past 18 days (since May 19), leaving hundreds of admitted patients—spanning from the critical burn ward to the emergency department—to suffer under scorching summer temperatures.

According to sources, a severe water shortage has prevented the motor of the central AC plant from functioning. As a result, patients in the burn ward, emergency unit, and several other general wards are facing extreme distress. While hospital administration and district officials repeatedly claim that the system will be fixed soon, no concrete action is visible on the ground.

Burn Ward in Deplorable Condition

The worst-affected area is the hospital’s burn ward. Currently, 22 patients are admitted here, with 50% to 60% of them suffering from severe burn injuries. Medical protocols dictate that burn patients must be kept in a cool environment to prevent further complications. However, due to the prolonged AC failure, these patients are enduring unimaginable agony.

Desperate family members can be seen sitting by the bedsides, constantly fanning the patients with hand-operated plastic or cardboard fans to provide minor relief. Doctors emphasize that a 24-hour cool environment is mandatory for burn patients; otherwise, their body temperatures rise rapidly, impeding the healing process and increasing the risk of severe infections.

Medical Experts Sound the Alarm

When questioned about the crisis, Dr. Akhilesh Mitra, HOD of the Burn Ward, acknowledged the severe crisis gripping the entire hospital. He stated that formal written complaints regarding the technical failure have already been submitted to the Hospital Superintendent.

Dr. Mitra stressed that a temperature of 22°C to 24°C is medically required for the recovery of burn patients. The lack of air conditioning is causing patients’ wounds to dry out prematurely and painfully, severely complicating their recovery and worsening their physical trauma.

Heatwave Triggers Surge in Medical Emergencies: 62 Patients Rushed with Vomiting and Diarrhoea

The intense heatwave sweeping across the region has triggered a massive influx of patients suffering from heat-related illnesses at major healthcare facilities, including MGM Hospital, Tata Main Hospital (TMH), and Tata Motors Hospital.

On Friday alone, 62 patients were rushed to city hospitals complaining of severe vomiting, diarrhoea, and intense abdominal pain. Doctors reported that after initial treatment, most patients were discharged, though several critical cases required overnight hospitalization.

At MGM Hospital, the emergency ward witnessed chaotic scenes on Friday as 42 patients arrived simultaneously with symptoms of dehydration, heat stroke, and gastroenteritis. Due to a severe shortage of available beds in the emergency room, hospital staff were forced to administer primary treatment, saline drips, and injections to patients seated on plastic chairs, stools, and benches.