Patients suffer due to power cuts, closed canteens at SMS

Jaipur: At state’s largest SMS Hospital in Jaipur, essential services have been disrupted due to poor management and administrative decisions. The latest issue involves the closure of the hospital’s canteens and kiosks, which have been locked for the past few days. As a result, patients & their attendants are forced to wander outside the hospital in search of food and beverages.

First India visited the ‘ground-zero’ to understand the issue, where patients expressed their frustrations, saying that hospital should provide basic amenities like food and water within the premises. They suggested that a dedicated space should be identified.

Dr. Sushil Bhati, the hospital’s acting superintendent, defended the decision, citing cleanliness concerns and the need to avoid crowding. He said that food and drinks are available outside the hospital and that efforts are underway to reopen the canteen soon.

Meanwhile, the hospital is also struggling with frequent power outages, which have led to disruptions in essential services. On Wednesday, a cable fault in the OPD’s X-ray wing caused power failure, leading to long delays for patients seeking routine tests. In addition, the lifts in the Bangar complex have been non-functional, forcing critically ill patients to use the ramp.