Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari’s statement on entry of a wild jackal into Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH), Dhanbad, has sparked debate. The Minister gave a surprising response, distancing himself and the medical staff from the responsibility.
Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of a private hospital in Govindpur on Thursday, Dr Ansari said, “If someone sends a tiger inside the hospital, how am I responsible? What can a doctor do? Sometimes a tiger enters the city; in village hospitals, snakes or rats may appear— does that mean the doctor is at fault?”
He went on to add, “If a tiger is pushed inside a hospital, how is it my mistake? If a tiger enters the city, is the government responsible? If a snake appears in a hospital, should the doctor be blamed?”
The Minister’s comments have since sparked public criticism and debate over accountability in the health system.
A major security lapse had come to light at SNMMCH after a wild jackal entered the surgical ward late on the night of November 19.
According to hospital staff, a ward boy first spotted the jackal entering the ward and immediately asked patients to turn on the lights. As soon as the lights came on, the jackal fled. Fortunately, no patient or staff member was attacked.
The incident has raised serious questions about the hospital’s security and hygiene conditions.
Dr Ansari said that the existing SNMMCH building has become extremely dilapidated and will be demolished to construct a new facility. “We are working to open more hospitals across the state and are planning to introduce three new medical colleges, including another one in Dhanbad,” he said.
The jackal incident has intensified concerns over the condition of government hospitals in Jharkhand, even as the state talks about expanding medical infrastructure.
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