SDO Jugnu Minj, after an inspection of the Sadar hospital, has asked its administration to explain  the irregularities and deficiencies existing there and has given the civil surgeon 24 hours to submit his clarifications. "I will submit my report to the Deputy Commissioner and include the hospital administration's views,"  said SDO Minj.

A few days ago a team of State Women's Commission had visited the hospital, Hazaribagh, and detected many irregularities and malpractices going on there. The team had reported the matter to the state and district administration and today's visit of SDO Minj seems to be associated with that report of the commission's team.

SDO Minj first reached the OPD where Dr RN Singh and Dr AK Ranjan were on duty. He enquired about the availability of medicines and technical instruments and also talked to the patients and their relatives about the facilities and their expectations.Then he went to the dental department where he found the instruments are not working properly. Even the chair for the patients was in bad condition.

In the generic medicine shop, the SDO found a fourth grade staff on duty while pharmacist was absent. On inspection, he found expired medicines on the rack. In the male general ward he himself complained about the bad smell emanating. Majority of in-patients are forced to buy medicines from outside. Money is collected to take X-rays illegally.

After visiting the ICU and other wards, he found the chamber of the hospital manager was closed. The SDO spent more than 2 hours time in the hospital and got acquainted with the deficiencies too. In the plaster room he found a fourth grade staff treating a patient and the doctor was absent.Dr. AK Singh and Dr. Vijay Shankar explained the services of the hospital are deteriorating day by day because of delay in sanction of funds, shortage of staff and shortage of technical tools.