The hospital has been reeling under a severe water and power shortage, with the heat aggravating problems that led to the high mortality rate. “I have not visited the hospital since I took over as Mayor. Since I am a doctor myself, I would like to see how the hospital is functioning. I have heard reports of the shortage of oxygen cylinders, electricity and water at the hospital. We will try to do the best we can,” said Kanwar Sain, speaking to Newsline. 

Bara Hindu Rao, the largest MCD hospital in East Delhi, witnessed an extraordinarily high number of casualties every day of the last week. According to the hospital’s records, 12 patients died in the hospital on Wednesday, five on Thursday and 14 on Friday. The highest number of deaths was, however, recorded between Saturday midnight and Sunday afternoon — 30. Four of these deaths were due to dehydration.

Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr P P Singh maintained that like most areas in the Capital, Bara Hindu Rao Hospital too was experiencing water and power shortage during the heat wave. “We usually call in water tankers. But the heat does affect the condition of patients. We have been getting an extremely high number of dehydrated patients, and we are doing our best in the given conditions. We would like the Mayor to see the working condition at the hospital,” Dr Singh said. According to Dr Singh, close to 150 patients are being admitted to the hospital on a daily basis with summer ailments ranging from heat stroke to dehydration and gastroenteritis.

Poor ventilation, lack of drinking water and coolers has also contributed to the high number of patient deaths, added the doctors on duty at the hospital.