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Patient care goes for toss at Kanpur’s UHM Hospital as rodents gnaw through equipment
Rats have caused significant damage to machinery and equipment, including a critical digital X-ray machine, at the Ursula Horsman Memorial Hospital in Kanpur, India. Efforts are underway to restore the machine and fortify the hospital against future rodent intrusion.
The Ursula Horsman Memorial Hospital (UHM Hospital) in Kanpur is in a shambles, as rats have wreaked havoc on its premises.
The rodents have caused substantial damage to machinery and equipment, valued at over ₹20 lakh. Among the casualties is a critical digital X-ray machine with a capacity of 600 mA, rendering it dysfunctional for the past 10 days.
The hospital’s director, Dr Sushil Prakash, said, “The rats have gnawed through numerous wires, rendering equipment dysfunctional. This isn’t the first instance of such damage; previously, we’ve incurred losses due to similar incidents. The sewer lines are also at risk.”
Efforts are underway to restore the digital X-ray machine, with the hospital management reaching out to the servicing company for urgent repairs. In the interim, makeshift measures, including the installation of mesh barriers near windows and doors, have been implemented to curb further rodent intrusion.
Dr Prakash said, “We are prioritising the repair of essential equipment to minimise disruption to patient care. The digital X-ray machine will undergo immediate repairs, and additional measures will be taken to fortify our premises against future incursions.”
The UHM Hospital is the biggest and oldest government hospital in the city, catering to patients from the city as also to the adjoining districts.
