A quick tour through government hospitals in Lucknow, including Balrampur Hospital and King George's Medical University (KGMU), reveals a critical shortage of beds and waiting areas, with many patients and their families crowding corridors and lobbies due to insufficient space. KGMU's trauma and gynecology-obstetrics wards are especially affected, with patients and relatives occupying hallways, department entrances, and stairwells. The trauma center, built for 460 beds, accommodates nearly 130 new patients daily and at any time has around 500 inpatients. On top of this, the trauma department refers at least 50 patients to other hospitals each day. Meanwhile, the gynecology-obstetrics ward, with a capacity of 340 beds, receives around 50 new patients every day, bringing the total to 370-375 patients regularly, according to Dr. Anju Agarwal, head of the gynecology department.

“We’ve been staying at the second-floor staircase landing for the past two days,” explained Munna Yadav, who, along with his father, waits while his brother is treated in the trauma ward. Yadav noted that, given the irregularity of the doctor’s rounds and the distance from their home in Alambagh, traveling back and forth daily is not feasible. Consequently, they remain at the hospital throughout the day to ensure they’re present for updates on the patient’s condition.

KGMU, which serves over 8,000 patients daily with its 4,200 beds, frequently sees many of its departments struggling to accommodate additional patients. For instance, the pediatrics ward, designed for 71 beds, often admits around 40 more patients daily, said Dr. J.D. Rawat, head of the pediatrics department. The hospital handles around 560-570 new admissions from the outpatient department each day, and patients needing surgeries often face waiting times of two to three months. Dr. Soniya Nityanand, KGMU’s vice chancellor, said the institution is working to address the overcrowding by expanding its wards and bed capacities. “We’ve signed a contract to construct a new night shelter that will more than double our current bed capacity,” she said. “The state government has allocated us free land to rebuild certain wards and departments.”

At Balrampur Hospital, similar challenges exist. Patients and their families crowd the outpatient department (OPD) waiting areas, and long queues are often found outside the pharmacy. "This is supposed to be one of Lucknow's larger government hospitals," commented Sarita Shukla, who waited with her child. "But the process is confusing and chaotic, with no clear order for patients, making it hard for doctors to manage the crowd."

Balrampur, which has over 650 beds, faces difficulties accommodating all of its patients. “At any time, we have nearly 700 patients in our wards, and sometimes even more,” explained Dr. N.B. Singh, Balrampur’s chief medical superintendent. He added that the hospital frequently adjusts to handle overflow patients by adding beds, especially in its 50-bed emergency ward, where an additional 5-10% of patients are treated during dengue season.

Dr. Srivastava, another senior doctor, noted that some patients needing palliative care must be admitted, while others with chronic conditions requiring long-term but non-curative care are referred elsewhere. Balrampur’s administration has forwarded requests to the health department, seeking approval for more space and staff to meet the growing demand, but as of now, they are still awaiting responses to these proposals.

While KGMU has made strides in expanding its facilities, Balrampur remains limited by current resources as it awaits further approvals.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)