Tejashwi Yadav expressed his displeasure over the state of affairs in the Patna hospital.
The bed was ready, complete with a mosquito net, in the Superintendent's office in the Patna Medical College Hospital as the senior official was found preparing to sleep during Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's sudden visit to the hospital last night.
Mr Yadav visited PMCH last night to see for himself the condition of government hospitals in the city ahead of a meeting with senior health officials.
Visuals showed an unclaimed body lying in the corridor instead of being shifted to the mortuary and stray animals roaming in the hospital.
After pointing out several irregularities, he visited the Superintendent's office. As the guard opened the door amid queries whether the Superintendent has been sleeping, he was found surprised to see Mr Yadav, who is also the state health minister.
Mr Yadav expressed his displeasure over the state of affairs in the hospital, including cleanliness and other aspects. As he entered the wards, patients and their visitors put forward their complaints that ranged from unavailability of medicines to unclean toilets.
"One cannot even stand here," Mr Yadav remarked seeing dirt and medical waste scattered around in the hospital.
Patients complained that the toilets are unclean and that even the women use the pay-and-use ones outside the hospital. Prescribed medicines are not available in the hospital's pharmacy and they have to buy those from outside, the patients told the minister.
Mr Yadav noted the unavailability of senior doctors at night. As nurses were seen discharging the duties of the health manager, he also sought to know why a health manager is not appointed at night.
"We inspected PMCH, Gardiner Hospital, and Gardanibagh Hospital. The condition of the Tata ward in PMCH is worse. I was told people from various districts come here for treatment so I wanted to come and see if there are any issues," Mr Yadav told news agency ANI.
He said there was no adequate arrangement of medicines in the pharmacy and senior doctors were not available during his visit. "There was no cleanliness, there was carelessness in everything. The patients are not getting any facilities," he said.
However, the minister assured the government will "mend" the issues persisting in the hospitals.
"I called the superintendent and said that it is his responsibility. There was no roster, no attendance was kept. Their lie was exposed. Action would be taken. Our government will mend the loopholes," he said.