Bihar Shocker: Tejaswi Yadav’s new low as Health Min; Jamui Hospital uses cold drink bottle instead of urine bag

Jamui, Bihar: In a case of gross negligence, medical staff at a hospital in Bihar’s Jamui district attached a discarded cold drink (Sprite) bottle instead of a urine bag on a patient. The patient has since died and the shocking clip has gone viral.

The administration at the Sadar hospital where this happened has begged the shortage of life-saving medicines and medical equipment as the reason, which clearly points a finger at the horrible manner in which Bihar Health Minister Tejaswi Yadav is running his ministry. Jamui Civil Surgeon Kumar Prasad told the media that the patient has not died due to any infection from the unhygienic treatment. He added that the patient was given dignified treatment at the hos and that the cold drink bottle was fixed an emergency measure so he did not soil the bed.

The nearly 60-year-old patient had been admitted to the Sadar Hospital’s Emergency Ward after the Jhajha Railway Police brought him in an unconscious state. The patient had apparently fallen down from on the railway tracks from a moving train.

After examining the patient, the doctor had instructed the staff to provide the patient with a urinal bag and administer an insulin injection along with a gas pipe for resuscitation.

As per reports in the media, the patient’s family made attempts to contact the hospital manager, Ramesh Pandey. It was only the next day that some medical supplies including the urinal bag, were arranged.

Ramesh Pandey told the press that he was unaware of the shortage of urinal bags at the hospital as the man in charge of these stores stock had suffered a fracture and was on leave.

Exactly a year ago, on August 9, Janata Dal (United) chairperson Nitish Kumar ended the party’s alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined hands with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) – a coalition government of 7 parties including 164 MLAs and independents. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar kept the Home Department, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav got the Health Department.

The Yadav brothers of Bihar (Lalu Yadav’s sons) seem to be fon of holding the health ministry as in the earlier alliance government in Bihar in 2017, Taj Pratap Yadav held charge of the health ministry. There were no positive stories to tell from those tenures.

Matters under the Nitish Kumar-RJD (Lalu Yadav) coalition government (With 7 other regional parties) are touching a new low every day. Recently, a TV channel had shown shocking video footage of an emergency ward in Darbhanga where steel cots with no mattresses filled a room and patients in various states of neglect lay unattended and untreated on the floor.

Had these images been from any other state, there would have been a huge furore. But Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejasvi Yadav has neither dealt with these allegations nor led the state’s medical fraternity onto the path of reform, repair, renew approaches to the state’s health management.

The importance of a clean catheter and urinary (uro) bag

Dr Ashutosh Baghel, Consultant Urologist, Andrologist and Kidney Transplant Surgeon, at Wockhardt hospitals Mira Road, Mumbai said that having a clean and properly set up urinary drainage system (uro bag) is extremely important when a patient requires a catheter. A catheter is a medical device used to empty the bladder when a person is unable to do so on their own. It’s crucial to maintain a clean and sterile environment to prevent infections and complications.

Is attaching an empty cold drink bottle (or any non-medical container) to collect urine from an unconscious person advisable? Dr Baghel said that’s NEVER advisable. The reasons why a nonmedical container is bad are many:

• Infection Risk: Using non-sterile containers increases the risk of introducing bacteria into the urinary system, potentially causing infections.
• Improper Drainage: These containers might not be designed for proper urine drainage, leading to potential backflow, blockages, or leakage.
• Contamination: Containers not meant for medical use might contain residues from their previous contents, which could contaminate the collected urine and lead to health issues.
• Lack of Monitoring: Using non-standard containers makes it difficult for healthcare providers to monitor urine output accurately and detect any changes in the patient’s condition.

When it comes to medical procedures and equipment, it’s always best to follow healthcare professionals’ recommendations and use proper medical devices designed for the purpose. If a patient requires a catheter and urine collection, it’s essential to adhere to medical guidelines and use sterile and appropriate equipment to ensure the patient’s safety, comfort, and well-being, says Dr Baghel.