BJP alleges corruption, collapse of State’s public healthcare
PNS
Ranchi
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused the Jharkhand government of presiding over a failing healthcare system, alleging widespread corruption, administrative lapses and neglect of poor patients. BJP state spokesperson Abhay Singh claimed reports of irregularities in the health department were surfacing almost daily, exposing what he termed the government’s “insensitive” approach.
Singh alleged that corruption and mismanagement within the health department had severely affected healthcare services, particularly for the poor. Referring to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, he claimed corruption had become rampant and alleged that doctors and contractors were operating without fear of action.
He further alleged that RIMS had become a centre of illegal collection, citing an instance where visitors at the RIMS rest house were allegedly charged up to Rs 240 by a canteen operator instead of the prescribed Rs 25. He claimed patients and their attendants were being exploited due to the alleged nexus between contractors and officials.
Questioning healthcare facilities across the state, Singh referred to reports of eight malaria-related deaths in Potka block, alleging that inadequate treatment and delayed government response had contributed to the fatalities. He also cited an incident in Hazaribagh where villagers reportedly carried the body of a Birhor woman on a cot for nearly two kilometres after an ambulance failed to reach the village because of poor road connectivity.
Targeting Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Health Minister Irfan Ansari, the BJP leader alleged that the government’s claims of improved healthcare were contradicted by the ground reality. He further claimed that while ministers sought treatment outside the state, ordinary citizens were left to depend on an inadequate public healthcare system.
The Jharkhand government had not issued any immediate response to the allegations at the time of filing this report.
