BENGAL’S PUBLIC HOSPITALS UNDER FIRE AS DOCTORS WARN OF FAILURES IN CRITICAL CARE

October 27, 2026

KOLKATA, October 27, 2026: Doctors in West Bengal have raised serious concerns about deficiencies in government-run hospitals, warning that shortages of essential medicines, inadequate emergency facilities and gaps in critical care are raising questions about patients’ access to timely treatment.

Medical professionals have highlighted problems at major state-run healthcare institutions, including Medical College Kolkata, where junior doctors and interns have alleged that deficiencies in trauma care and emergency services have hampered the treatment of critically injured patients.

The concerns gained prominence after victims of the Chorebagan Sarbajanin Durga Puja tragedy were initially taken to Medical College Kolkata before being shifted to a private hospital. Junior doctors questioned why a major government medical institution lacked the facilities necessary to manage certain critical cases, pointing to alleged shortages of essential medicines and inadequate neurosurgical infrastructure.

The doctors also argued that the transfer of patients to private facilities raised concerns about the capacity of the public healthcare system to provide comprehensive emergency treatment. Hospital authorities, however, maintained that the patients’ relatives had been offered a choice between government and private treatment, with the state government agreeing to cover the expenses at the private facility.

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the challenges confronting Bengal’s public hospitals, including staffing shortages, infrastructure gaps and the availability of essential medical supplies. Doctors have called for improvements in emergency preparedness and hospital resources to ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment without unnecessary delays.

The debate also highlights the financial pressure that patients can face when public facilities cannot provide the required care. Strengthening government hospitals remains a central challenge in ensuring accessible, affordable and reliable healthcare across West Bengal.