Patna: A case of alleged medical negligence has come to light at the Sugauli primary health centre (PHC) in East Champaran, where injured patients were found lying on hospital beds with pieces of cardboard tied to their fractured legs instead of receiving proper plaster or splint support.Videos of the incident went viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage and raising questions over the availability of basic emergency care at govt health facilities. The footage shows a man and a woman lying on hospital beds with white bandages wrapped around their legs, while pieces of brown cardboard had been used as support.East Champaran civil surgeon Dilip Kumar said the injured were brought to the PHC late on Wednesday night following a major road accident.“There was a head-on collision between a pickup van and an autorickshaw, in which one person died and others were injured. The cardboard support was tied at the roadside before the injured were brought to the hospital,” Kumar said.He said the patients were given pain-relief injections after reaching the PHC. However, he admitted the cardboard should have been removed and proper plaster or splinting should have been provided at the hospital.“I will seek an explanation from the doctor in charge as to why the cardboard was not removed and proper treatment was not provided. A report will be sent to the health department and further action will be taken,” the civil surgeon said.The viral videos have intensified scrutiny of the functioning of the PHC, with the incident highlighting alleged gaps in emergency trauma care and the availability of basic medical facilities at the hospital. The health department is expected to examine the circumstances that led to the lapse after receiving the civil surgeon’s report.
