Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari’s first visit to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) after taking office revealed alarming issues regarding patient care and medical services, prompting immediate action from the minister. During his surprise inspection, Dr. Ansari was accompanied by Kanke MLA Suresh Baitha, Principal Secretary of the Health Department Ajay Kumar Singh, RIMS Director Dr. Rajkumar, and other officials.
Dr. Ansari began his inspection by visiting the Central Emergency area and then proceeded to the basement skin disease ward, where he interacted with the family of a patient. It was here that a startling revelation about the state of healthcare at RIMS came to light. When the minister inquired about the quality of treatment, the wife of the patient responded candidly, stating that the family had not been receiving proper treatment. She said that the doctors were not punctual in their visits and that they had been forced to purchase medicines from external sources.
This statement prompted Dr Ansari to immediately question the nursing staff about the availability of medicines. In response, a nurse explained the shortage, but RIMS Director Dr. Rajkumar intervened, claiming that 80 per cent of the medicines were in stock.
The minister expressed his dissatisfaction with the paying ward facilities, questioning why he was shown this section instead of the older wards, and directing that immediate repairs be carried out. The state of cleanliness in the emergency room was another point of concern. In a bid to present a cleaner environment, the bed sheets in the emergency ward were changed just an hour before the minister’s inspection.
Sunita Devi’s husband, a patient in the emergency, noted that doctors had not been attending to their patients regularly until the news of the minister’s visit prompted them to check on their conditions multiple times within a short period.
Further raising concerns about the hospital’s maintenance, the minister grew visibly frustrated when he saw the dilapidated walls of the paying ward. He demanded that the situation be improved without delay.
In response to these findings, Dr. Ansari issued several directives. Among the most notable was the decision to convert the closed operation theatre on the first floor of the emergency into a functioning ward, which would increase the number of emergency beds from 50 to 80.
During the inspection, Dr. Ansari also received complaints regarding the lack of ultrasound tests at RIMS. He reprimanded the director and instructed that the ultrasound system be restored as soon as possible. Additionally, he demanded a list of all essential medicines currently unavailable at the hospital and ensured that these would be supplied without delay.
Dr. Ansari also visited the construction site of the Regional Eye Institute at RIMS, which is slated to open by February 2025. He stressed that all remaining work should be completed promptly to meet the deadline.
Dr. Ansari’s inspection has sparked a sense of urgency to reform the healthcare system at RIMS, with the health minister’s firm stance promising significant changes in the near future.
