Patna: The derelict leprosy hospital in Patna has been crying for attention for the past several decades.
Christened the "Leprosy Control Unit", Englishman A.P. Middleton had laid its foundation at Gulzarbagh's Gai Ghat in Patna City on November 18, 1933. Since, then the hospital has shifted from its original building and a new building has come up on the same premises. The hospital shifted to its new building in 1983 after the old building had been rendered unsafe.
The hospital, where around 50 patients used to turn up daily, is functioning with only a single doctor and no nurse.
"Working here is full of constraints. I am the only doctor posted here. The hospital urgently needs some more doctors. Only then can all patients coming to the hospital be treated well. Again, there is no nurse in the hospital. At times, it proves very difficult to work, as a few patients coming to the hospital need first-aid treatment."
Again, there is only a laboratory technician in the hospital and an assistant conducts tests of those coming to the hospital. There is no sanitary employee in the hospital, which treats patients of contagious illness. "This is the only hospital in Patna, where skin smear test is done on leprosy patients," said Dr Sinha.
"As this is the lone hospital catering to leprosy patients, at times we have to face great difficulties as there is only one doctor here," said Rubika Khatoon, a patient.
Ashok Kumar, another patient, said: "Many times, we have to return empty-handed as the technician posted here gets involved in campaigning and some other person is deputed as replacement, causing delay in performing tests."
"Even the current building is in a dilapidated condition and urgently requires repair work. There is no shade in the hospital for waiting patients," said Mohammad Ali, the lab technician. "There is even no arrangement of drinking water for patients."
An employee on condition of anonymity said: "We have requisitioned the public health and engineering department several times but to no avail."
