In a surprise late-night inspection, West Bengal Minister of State for Health Sumana Sarkar visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital in Kalyani without prior notice, posing as a medical student to assess the quality of healthcare services.
Wearing ordinary clothes, a surgical mask, and accompanied only by a female security personnel in plain clothes, she moved through different sections of the hospital unnoticed, allowing her to observe the ground reality firsthand.
Minister disguises herself for surprise inspection
The inspection began at around 12:40 am on Wednesday, when Sarkar entered the hospital without informing the administration or bringing along senior officials or a large security detail. She walked into the emergency department like an ordinary visitor and closely monitored patient care, staff attendance, and the quality of services.
She also interacted with patients and their family members, listening to complaints about the hospital’s functioning.
Midnight visit exposes hospital service gaps
One of the most serious issues she reportedly discovered was the absence of any senior doctor in the emergency department during the night shift. After personally verifying the situation, she expressed strong dissatisfaction.
It was only after removing her mask and revealing her identity that doctors, hospital staff, and patients realised they had been interacting with Health Minister of State, leaving many visibly shocked.
Patients share complaints with disguised minister
Beyond the emergency ward, Sarkar visited several hospital wards, speaking to admitted patients about the quality of treatment they were receiving. She also interacted with junior doctors to understand how night-time services were being managed and gathered detailed feedback on staffing and patient care.
Poor cleanliness angers state health minister
The minister also expressed sharp displeasure over the poor cleanliness inside the hospital. According to her, almost every department appeared unhygienic, with no area meeting acceptable standards of cleanliness. She also noticed stray dogs and cats roaming freely inside the hospital premises, describing the situation as deeply concerning for a government healthcare facility.
Report to trigger corrective administrative action
Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Sarkar said she had received repeated complaints about the absence of senior doctors during night shifts and decided to verify the allegations personally through an unannounced visit in disguise. She said,
Everywhere I looked was dirty. I did not find a single department that could be called clean. Such mismanagement in a hospital cannot be accepted.
She added that a detailed report on the hospital’s condition would be submitted to Health Minister Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. She said appropriate action would be taken to improve hospital services, cleanliness, and the availability of senior doctors.
Hospital administration faces fresh public scrutiny
The surprise inspection has created a stir within the hospital administration, raising fresh questions about nighttime healthcare services, the presence of senior medical personnel, sanitation standards, and overall hospital management. Attention is now focused on what corrective measures the authorities will take following the minister’s findings.
