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

Gwalior's Morar District Hospital experienced a nearly six-hour power outage on Saturday, severely impacting critical healthcare services. The blackout disrupted surgeries, X-ray, and CT scan tests, suspending essential diagnostic procedures for several hours. Seven surgeries were postponed, including four in ophthalmology and three in the surgery department.

Diagnostic tests, such as X-rays and CT scans, were suspended for hours, leaving many patients waiting without receiving their results. The hospital later arranged generator power for CT scans, allowing tests to resume. Around 150 X-rays are typically conducted daily; however, the outage affected services for nearly six hours. The power failure also affected the blood bank, raising concerns over the safe storage of blood.

The blood bank's in-charge informed the hospital management, and a temporary generator supply was arranged. However, relatives had to wait to collect blood, facing discomfort due to the prolonged outage. Patients admitted to the post-operative ward of the orthopaedic department suffered from heat, lack of water in toilets, and poor cleanliness.

Dr JPN Sharma, Resident Medical Officer, and Dr Rajesh Birtharia, Assistant Manager, arranged alternative arrangements for areas without generator power, ensuring patients' comfort. The prolonged power outage has raised questions about Morar District Hospital's backup power arrangements for essential healthcare services.