Tribals in WB's Maoist-affected area hire cots due to lack of hospital beds

Jhargram (West Bengal), July 30 (ANI): Tribal patients in West Bengal least expected that they would be renting beds for themselves while getting admitted for treatment at a government hospital in West Midnapore district.

If lack of doctors was not enough cause of worry for the patients, lack of beds has only aggravated their grievances over poor health infrastructure in Maoist affected areas.he state government, which was looking forward to increase the number of beds at the Belpahari rural hospital for a while now, has once again failed.

"Several patients at the hospital are facing problems due to lack of hospital beds. We are trying to bring in more beds, and we hope we would be able to arrange them as soon as possible," said Sukumar Hansda, State Paschimanchal (Eastern) Affairs Minister.

Lack of beds has led to tribals shelling out money from their meagre wages to hire cots.Only one doctor is present here and patients are facing problems due to that. We have to hire bed here as all the beds are reserved," said a patient's relative, Dulal Singha.

Meanwhile, business of renting beds is flourishing as several cots were being rented daily for Rs. 25.

"Patients hire these bed for rupees 25 daily and they return these bed when they are relieved from the hospital after treatment," Malati Mahato, local renting beds to patients. (ANI)