Tag Archives: hospital

Life has no value in India

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A Shocking Incident at BHU

Yesterday, I witnessed something truly inhuman and shocking at BHU. I have already had many bad experiences with BHU, but what I saw this time left me speechless. I had gone to the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) at BHU. After parking my bike, I noticed a group of people standing near the main gate of the IMS building. It seemed unusual, since security usually does not allow public gatherings there. Curious, I went closer and found that an injured and unconscious man—almost on the verge of death—was lying on the ground.

He had injuries on his face and, from what people were saying, he might have also suffered an epileptic attack. I overheard that someone had beaten him. At least ten people stood around, but nobody was willing to take him to the hospital. They said they had already informed the police and would wait for them to arrive. What shocked me even more was that, despite being inside a medical institute, with doctors constantly passing by, not a single doctor stopped to help him. This was happening in the premises of one of India’s best-known medical colleges, a place respected worldwide.

Eventually, the police arrived. They asked a few questions but seemed completely uninterested in helping. Two policemen sat casually on their bike, laughing and chatting, right next to this dying man. A few minutes later, one of them walked over and half-heartedly tried to wake him up. Instead of calling for medical help, they nudged him with their feet and even dragged him on the road, hoping he would somehow get up. But he couldn’t—he was in no condition to move. Finally, the police just left, doing nothing.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Here was a man in urgent need of medical assistance, lying inside the premises of a premier medical college of India, yet doctors, police, and bystanders all ignored him. Eventually, two students came with a first aid box, but they were not doctors, and the man clearly needed far more than first aid. They too said they would first inform the police before helping, because they didn’t feel safe intervening without police approval. Then I learned the reason why everyone was hesitating—people said this man was a thief, caught trying to steal something from the IMS building. Maybe that was true, maybe not.

But even if he was a thief, did he not deserve basic medical treatment? A human life was at risk. It was cruel beyond words. In our country, we spend over ₹8,00,500 per day to keep Ajmal Kasab—the terrorist who killed hundreds of people at the Taj—alive in jail. Yet here, in one of our best medical institutions, a man possibly dying in front of doctors and police was denied even basic first aid, just because he was accused of being a thief. What I saw was heartbreaking and inhuman. I have no words strong enough to describe the cruelty and indifference I witnessed yesterday.

Treatment of Cancer at BHU for Prabhu

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A few days ago, my friend Prabhu fell seriously ill with severe stomach pain. He was rushed to the emergency ward at BHU (Benares Hindu University) Hospital. The doctors diagnosed him with a serious condition but were reluctant to admit him, citing a lack of available beds in the emergency ward. They directed Prabhu’s family to check the general ward, which also had no vacant beds. Despite Prabhu’s intense pain and distress, the doctors refused to attend to him. Desperate, his family decided to take him to another hospital, Mata Anandmayi Hospital in Bhadaini, but faced the same issue—no available beds. Prabhu was in agony, nearly fainting, and when they returned to BHU, the doctors displayed a concerning lack of compassion, refusing to even start treatment.

Prabhu’s father pleaded with the doctors, even touching their feet to request treatment, but was met with a cold response. The doctors continued to insist there were no beds available. Frustrated, Prabhu’s family sought help from a contact who knew the former president of the BHU student union. After the former president intervened, BHU finally arranged a bed for Prabhu at around 11 PM. Tests and treatment began, but the doctors recommended transferring Prabhu to PGI, Lucknow for surgery. When Prabhu’s family arrived at PGI, they encountered the same problem—no beds available. Prabhu’s brother reached out to a well-known figure in Lucknow, who made a call to the hospital. Following this intervention, PGI managed to provide a bed for Prabhu.

At PGI, after a brief examination and review of his previous reports, the doctors diagnosed Prabhu with colon cancer. They recommended surgery but warned that there was no guarantee he would survive even ten days. The cost of the surgery was Rs. 1,25,000 ($2,500). Fearing the worst, Prabhu requested to be brought back to Benares, preferring to face his fate there. The news of Prabhu’s condition spread quickly in our neighborhood, and everyone was deeply saddened. I suggested to Prabhu’s family that they seek a second opinion at the renowned TATA Memorial Center in Mumbai. I contacted my friend Alok in Mumbai, who arranged an appointment and forwarded Prabhu’s medical reports to TATA Memorial.

The doctors at TATA Memorial reviewed the reports and concluded that there was no evidence of cancer. They indicated that the diagnosis from PGI was incorrect. I relayed this hopeful news to Prabhu and his family, who were overwhelmed with relief and joy. Prabhu was admitted to a private hospital where he underwent successful treatment and is now recovering well. Meanwhile, I had a distressing experience at BHU when my baby fell from a chair and suffered a head injury. We rushed to BHU’s emergency ward, only to find that the registration counter had already closed. After receiving instructions from security guards, I entered the registration room from the back door and saw staff preoccupied with counting money.

When another patient tried to register through an open window, a clerk became aggressive and injured the patient’s hand. I managed to get a registration paper and submitted it to the doctor, who then required me to write a declaration that I would not involve the police in the future. Despite the urgency, there were no available supplies like nylon thread for stitching. I had to leave the hospital to buy these items myself. After waiting for over an hour and a half, junior doctors finally started stitching my baby’s wound. This was in one of Uttar Pradesh’s largest hospitals, and the lack of timely care was shocking.

Having experienced such poor service, I now share Prabhu’s apprehension towards BHU and will avoid it for any future needs. I sought treatment for my baby elsewhere and had the stitches removed at a different hospital. The condition of government hospitals is deplorable; their focus seems to be on money rather than patient care. Despite the considerable revenue and international reputation of institutions like BHU, the reality of their services often falls short. For many who lack health insurance and cannot afford private hospitals, this situation is dire. The question remains: are these hospitals designed to save lives or to fail those who seek their help?

Life of an Indian Woman

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Nisha, my neighbor, moved into the neighborhood four years ago after marrying my friend’s brother. She’s also a friend of my wife’s. My wife told me that Nisha’s life before marriage was incredibly difficult. Her parents were very poor. A cousin, a government employee, would help Nisha’s family, but not out of familial obligation. Instead, he used this as leverage to sexually abuse her. He forced himself on her, threatening to stop helping her family if she resisted. Nisha was terrified and helpless. Even in front of friends, her cousin would harass her.

She could only cry and submit to his demands. This abuse continued for years, both before and after her marriage, whenever she visited her family. Now, her cousin blackmails her, threatening to tell her husband about their past if she doesn’t continue the abuse. Fear of her husband finding out keeps Nisha from cutting ties with her family. My wife told me this story, but I also witnessed firsthand what happened to Nisha after her marriage, as she lives nearby and is my friend’s sister-in-law. Immediately after the wedding, she faced immense pressure for dowry. Her husband would beat her and demand money from her family, but her parents were too poor to help.

Despite the abuse, she refused to ask her parents for money. Her mother-in-law would also mistreat her, denying her husband the right to sleep with her. They lived in separate rooms until the mother-in-law passed away. Nisha was responsible for all household chores, including cooking, cleaning, and laundry, while enduring constant abuse. She couldn’t even share a bed with her husband. Eventually, the stress took a toll on her mental health, but her husband neglected her. He sent her back to her parents’ home, where she stayed for six to seven months recovering. During this time, she was again abused by her cousin. When Nisha returned to her husband’s family, her problems were far from over. The beatings continued, and her husband persisted in demanding money from her parents.

The passing of her mother-in-law marked the end of one challenge, but the beginning of another. Nisha’s sister-in-law stepped into her mother-in-law’s role, treating her with similar cruelty. However, unlike her mother-in-law, she didn’t interfere with Nisha’s relationship with her husband. Nisha eventually gave birth to a son, which likely provided her with some relief. Had she given birth to a daughter, the situation could have been dire. Her abusive husband might have rejected a female child. It’s possible that she underwent a prenatal ultrasound to determine the baby’s sex, given her family’s history of harmful actions.

Nisha’s son is now one year old, but her sister-in-law continues to interfere. She tries to alienate Nisha from her child, keeping the baby busy and preventing Nisha from bonding with him. Nisha’s other sister-in-law plays a similar role, constantly engaging with the baby and providing care. Nisha longs to see her baby, but her husband and sister-in-law prevent her from doing so. About seven months ago, when the baby was only five months old, Nisha’s husband sent the child to his other sister in Delhi. Despite still breastfeeding, Nisha was abruptly forced to stop. The engorgement caused her immense pain, and she cried out in agony.

She desperately wanted her baby to feed, but he was far away. Her husband was absent at the time. Neighbors heard her cries and rushed her to the hospital. By the time she arrived, she had fainted. The doctor insisted that she breastfeed immediately, warning that the engorgement could be fatal. Concerned neighbors contacted Nisha’s husband, hoping for his cooperation. Instead, he began beating her in the hospital. The doctor recommended admitting Nisha to relieve the engorgement, but her husband refused. He called his sister, who had the baby in Delhi.

Her husband’s abuse escalated. Nisha suggested that he ask the doctor to stop her milk production, hoping to end the pain. Reluctantly, he agreed, and the doctor took steps to suppress her lactation. However, the pain persisted. The doctor urged Nisha’s husband to admit her to the hospital, but he refused. Instead, he brought her home and continued to abuse her. She was locked in a room for days without any medical care. All she could do was cry. Nisha’s husband and sister-in-law want the baby to forget his mother so they can keep him and force Nisha out of the family. They intentionally torture her, hoping she will leave, die, or disappear.

Nisha has lost all hope. She can’t even return to her impoverished parents. Neighbors are concerned and want to intervene, but Nisha forbids them, fearing that her family would retaliate violently. Nisha’s situation is dire, and something must be done. This is a clear consequence of our cultural bias that prioritizes males over females. While Hinduism traditionally respects women, this reverence has been eroded over time. Even young girls are revered in certain rituals. Our culture values women highly, but the implementation of this respect has faltered.

India is often touted as a developing nation, but this development is incomplete without gender equality. The progress of only male-dominated sectors is insufficient. Despite having a large number of professional women, which is a significant achievement, the reality remains bleak in many areas. In states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, the female sex ratio continues to decline. I hope for change, but it may be beyond my lifetime.

First Kiwi guest at home

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About three months ago, a 55-year-old man from Auckland contacted me through Couchsurfing. He wanted information about Varanasi and expressed a desire to travel with someone. He even asked if I would be interested in being his tour guide for all of India. I was thrilled and immediately agreed to the offer. However, he later informed me that he had found many hosts in India, so he canceled his plan to hire me as his tour guide. We stayed in touch online over the next few months, and he finally arrived in Varanasi on the 6th.

I went to meet him at his hotel, where he gave me an iPod and a coat as gifts. He was interested in experiencing general Indian life, so he wanted to stay at my place. However, since he had already booked the hotel for two nights, he planned to come to my home after that. During Navratri, I took him on a tour of Varanasi. My friends and I usually visit the pandals during the night, so I took Chris along. We spent the whole night exploring and returned home around 3 a.m.

After his two-night hotel stay, Chris came to stay at my place. He was interested in visiting a local church to buy old vestments and other items used by churches in Varanasi. We went to the cantonment church, which is only 15 years old. Chris wanted to meet the bishop, but he was not in Varanasi. Instead, we met his assistant, who informed us that they did not have any old items. He suggested churches in Mumbai, Goa, and South India as alternatives.

Chris stayed with me for 15 days, though he originally planned to stay only 10. He had to extend his stay because he fell ill. He mentioned that he had eaten a samosa from a street vendor and became very sick, suffering from diarrhea, vomiting, and headaches. I took him to a doctor, but his condition did not improve, so he requested to be admitted to a hospital. I took him to Heritage Hospital, where the doctors said it was not an emergency case and did not want to admit him. However, Chris insisted on staying.

The hospital charged Rs. 15,000 (about US $400) for the services. I was shocked at the high cost for treating diarrhea. Chris was admitted to a special ward for two days. The charges included Rs. 3,500 per day for the room, Rs. 600 for the doctor’s visit, and various other fees that seemed arbitrary. Although I had heard about the $100 handshake in US hospitals, I was surprised to find a similar system in my own town. I asked Lane about it, and he noted that it was still cheaper than Western hospitals.

One interesting aspect was that everyone in the hospital was eager to know if Chris had health insurance. When I asked the doctor why this was important, he explained that foreigners usually have insurance, and the hospital charges them extra if they do. This practice seemed illegal to me, but it was conducted openly, like many other illicit activities in India. They were not even embarrassed to admit it.

After two days, Chris was eager to leave. He complained that the nurses neglected him, didn’t change his drip, failed to provide medicine, and didn’t offer food. I spoke with the doctor, who insisted that Chris stay for at least two more days. However, Chris was determined to leave, so the doctor agreed to discharge him with a few medicines. Chris was relieved to return home and left for Mumbai on the 24th.

Dialysis in Varanasi

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An American student from Boston University, named Andrew, reached out to me regarding his friend Rinat from Uzbekistan, who requires dialysis treatment in India for six months. They had initially contacted Apollo Hospital in Delhi, but found it to be quite expensive and also noted that Delhi’s pollution made it an undesirable option. There were no available apartments near the hospital either. They inquired about dialysis services in Varanasi, and I directed them to Heritage Hospital in Varanasi by providing their email address. Andrew and Rinat contacted Heritage Hospital and discovered that they offer dialysis services for foreigners as well.

I visited Heritage Hospital to inquire about their services and charges. The costs were as follows: Rs. 2500 for the first dialysis, Rs. 1000 for a blood check-up (charged only once), Rs. 1700 for each of the next three dialysis sessions, and Rs. 2500 for the fifth session. This was significantly cheaper than Apollo Hospital, and Varanasi is less noisy and polluted compared to Delhi. Andrew then requested to rent my apartment for six months for Rinat. However, I had reservations about hosting someone who does not speak English and only speaks Russian.

I expressed my concern about the language barrier, but Andrew assured me that they would provide a translator for the first week. I was still concerned about the situation beyond that initial period. I asked about Rinat’s current health and learned that he has only one kidney and very low hemoglobin levels—one-third of the normal range. This situation was worrying, as Rinat’s condition seemed quite critical. They also requested that I contact the Indian Embassy in Tashkent to notify them that I would be hosting Rinat. I was uncomfortable with this, as it would make me responsible if anything went wrong with Rinat’s health.

To better understand the situation, I consulted friends in the US and Canada. While they knew people with only one kidney, they were also concerned about Rinat’s low hemoglobin levels. After discussing with my friends and family, I decided not to host Rinat due to the serious nature of his condition. However, I still wanted to assist Andrew and Rinat. I offered to help by finding a guest house for Rinat, accompanying him to the hospital, speaking with doctors, arranging food and other necessities, and showing them around. They agreed to this arrangement. I have requested them to fax me all of Rinat’s medical reports so that I can discuss his treatment with the doctors.

They want to hire me to assist Rinat throughout his stay. I will meet Rinat in Delhi and bring him to Varanasi. I’ve reached out to students at BHU to find a Russian-speaking student to serve as Rinat’s translator. Additionally, Andrew wants Rinat to learn Hindi while he is in Varanasi, so I have contacted Bhasha Bharti to inquire about a Russian-speaking Hindi teacher and am awaiting their reply. This is proving to be a challenging task, but I am committed to helping in any way I can.