Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur was confident of tackling the cases when the district had 245 cases and one death till June 8. But now with the sudden spike in cases with several senior officials testing positive, including the District Magistrate and other important officials, Bhagalpur is now second in Bihar’s Covid tally with 1,601 cases, and 16 deaths.

According to Dr Hemshankar Sharma, who is in charge of the Covid isolation ward and ICU of the 800-bed hospital in Mayaganj doctors are in severe strain. Sharing his plight Dr. Sharma says, “I am 65 years old and suffer from high blood pressure. But I am still working in ICU. We are doing all we can with what we have. ”

Many patients have shared instances of the medical negligence as well. “They just lock and leave, there is no monitoring. There were relatives of patients sleeping on the floor. We got him shifted to the ICU, but there is very little care. The toilet is so unsanitary and barely cleaned. I saw a woman tell nurses that there was a need for an oxygen cylinder. There was no response. Even if patients survive, this is taking a heavy mental and emotional toll” said the son of a 60 year old patient admitted due to Covid Pandemic.

Another 55 year old patient’s relative reports that there are delays in testing while some patients were also turned away from the hospital. The families are disillusioned about how to tackle the patients as doctors are not paying visits regularly and medical staffs are not equipped appropriately to handle the sudden surge in coronavirus cases.

There are instances where there are shortage of Oxygen Cylinders to fight this mighty pandemic. Relatives are scared as a son was quoting “There has been no check for four days… The system has collapsed. My father now wants to die,” Another family says “his father was admitted to the Medicine Ward on July 15, which was “neat and clean” but had one key element missing — a compounder to administer injections. “We then shifted him to the ICU,” he said.

Doctors on the other hand are explain that they are trying their best and working day and night. Dr Sharma on video call from the ICU says “I want to show you how hard we are trying, the work we are doing,” he said. He walked the halls, showing nurses in masks and doctors, including several heads of department, in the ICU. “We are working day and night, and people are still complaining and making videos. Everybody here is risking everything,” he said. However, they admit that manpower problem is there.  “What I need are junior doctors…at least 50-60 dedicated to this crisis. The junior doctors are not reporting for duty properly. Action should be taken, they should be warned,” he said.

Further, complaining that junior doctors not reporting he says Since the COVID crisis began, as many as 14 junior residents have quit, with four others resigning after their duty roster was “tightened”. “Their duty is only three days a week. They were asking for one day,”

“The junior doctors either say they are unwell or complain about PPE kits. We say this is the same kit that is being supplied all over the state. This is the kit that AIIMS-Patna is working with. On OPD duty, what do you need? Two gloves, one set inside and elbow gloves.

Two masks, surgical and N 95, and a face shield. And a head cover. These are provided. Moving into the ICU is a different issue, but how many percent are in the ICU? Ten per cent,”

This is the plight of the 800 bed hospital in Bhagalpur. Bhagalpur is now second in Bihar’s Covid tally after Patna. Centre is also closely monitoring the Bihar’s Covid situation however on the ground the reports are not as satisfactory as it portrayed.