72-year-old woman holds drip bottle for 30 minutes for injured grandson at Satna Hospital, staff accused of negligence

A 72-year-old woman in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna had to hold a drip bottle for nearly 30 minutes for her injured grandson at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital after staff failed to provide a drip stand.

The incident occurred on Friday when 35-year-old Ashwani Mishra, injured in a road accident in Maihar, was brought to the hospital. Despite his critical condition, no drip stand was provided, forcing his grandmother to hold the bottle while hospital staff stood by.

Eyewitnesses claimed there was no shortage of stands in the facility and blamed the ordeal on staff negligence. The sight of the frail elderly woman struggling yet determined to keep the drip flowing left bystanders both shocked and angered.

The situation was further aggravated by the poor condition of the ambulance that transported Mishra. After dropping him off at the hospital gate, the vehicle broke down and had to be pushed by locals to get it moving again.

This incident adds to mounting complaints about the hospital’s poor infrastructure. Despite handling hundreds of patients daily, the facility has often been criticized for failing to provide basic amenities such as stretchers, beds, and timely assistance.

Civil Surgeon Manoj Shukla, however, played down the matter, saying, "There is no shortage of stands. The patient was brought in an ambulance, and within 5-7 minutes treatment was provided. The grandmother herself picked up the drip, but the patient has been treated properly."