The Shiv Sena (UBT) has condemned Maharashtra’s public healthcare system as mismanaged and ridiculous after an elderly woman died from a rat bite in a Bhayander ICU, calling for urgent reforms and accountability
-1773809867731_d.png "Maharashtra’s public healthcare system is on a ventilator: Shiv Sena (UBT) in Saamana")
Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. File Pic
The Shiv Sena (UBT) criticised the BJP-led Mahayuti government in the Saamana editorial, saying that Maharashtra’s public healthcare system is in crisis. According to the party, the system is “on a ventilator,” eroded by corruption and mismanagement, and urgent reforms are needed before any claims of achieving world-class healthcare status can be taken seriously.
ICU tragedy exposes gaps in hospital care
The criticism comes after a shocking incident in a Mumbai western suburb hospital in Bhayander, where an elderly woman died after a rat gnawed her hand while she was on a ventilator in the ICU. According to an editorial in the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana, “while the government speaks of progress, infants continue to die of malnutrition in tribal areas, and an elderly woman dies from a rat bite in a city right next to Mumbai.”
The editorial described the incident as a “horrific event” that “has stripped away any dignity left in the government healthcare system.” The ICU where the woman was being treated was located on the fourth floor, yet a rat reportedly managed to reach her hand without being noticed by hospital staff. Bleeding continued until relatives arrived the following morning, but by then, it was too late.
Hospital administration under scrutiny
The hospital administration’s response has drawn further criticism. Officials reportedly suggested that rats might have entered the hospital due to nearby construction, a claim the Shiv Sena called “ridiculous and shameful.” The editorial argued that even if there is construction nearby, it does not excuse the hospital’s failure to control a rat infestation.
The hospital reportedly had a pest control and medicinal spraying contract in place, but the Shiv Sena editorial said this is “an admission of an existing rat problem that the hospital failed to control.” Calls are growing for a criminal investigation against the hospital administration for negligence that contributed to the woman’s death.
Dual crisis: Rats and corruption
The incident has sparked a broader debate about public health in Maharashtra. According to the Shiv Sena, the state faces a “dual infestation”: rats in hospitals and corruption in the health department. “Rather than focusing on healthcare, the authorities seem more concerned with the financial health of contractors and suppliers to line their own pockets,” the editorial said.
The party also pointed out that despite government claims of world-class services, public healthcare funding has been cut. “The public health budget was reportedly slashed by approximately Rs 5,000 crore. Nationwide, for a population of 140 crore, there are only about 1.3 to 1.4 million hospital beds available. Public health spending remains stagnant at only 2.5 per cent of the GDP. In tribal areas, mothers and children continue to die from malnutrition,” the editorial noted.
The Shiv Sena further highlighted the contrast between government announcements and the reality on the ground. “Just two weeks ago, in the state budget, the government made grand announcements regarding healthcare facilities. However, a soul-shaking incident in Bhayander has completely exposed these claims,” the party said.
The party called for urgent reforms and accountability, emphasising that healthcare, not financial interests or political messaging, must be the priority.
(With IANS Inputs)
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