Ursula Hosman Memorial Hospital (UHM Hospital) in Kanpur was thrown into chaos as rats wreaked havoc on the hospital.
Rodents caused serious damage to machinery and equipment worth more than $2 million. Casualties include a critical digital X-ray machine with a capacity of 600 mA, which has been out of commission for the past 10 days.
Dr Sushil Prakash, director of the hospital, said: “The rats chewed through many electrical wires, rendering the equipment non-functional. This is not the first time such damage has occurred; we have suffered losses due to similar incidents before . Sewers are also at risk.”
Hospital management is working to repair the digital X-ray machine and has contacted a maintenance company for emergency repairs. Temporary measures have been put in place during this period, including the installation of mesh barriers near doors and windows, to curb further rodent incursions.
Dr. Prakash said: “We are prioritizing the repair of essential equipment to minimize disruption to patient care. The digital X-ray machine will be repaired immediately and additional measures will be taken to harden our premises to prevent future intrusions.”
UHM Hospital is the largest and oldest government hospital in the city and serves patients from the city as well as neighboring areas.