Indore: Rape Survivor Regrets Complaining, Courtesy Indore’s Government Hospital’s Inefficiency | Representative Image
Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A rape survivor, already battling trauma, was left disheartened by the inefficient healthcare system on Tuesday as she was forced to roam between government hospitals for over five hours due to a shortage of doctors. The lack of immediate medical attention added to her suffering.
The survivor, accompanied by a female police officer from Khudel Police Station, first arrived at PC Sethi Hospital at 9:30 AM, only to be told that no duty doctor was available, despite an on-call female doctor being assigned. Instead of providing medical assistance, the hospital staff directed her to MTH Hospital, causing further delay.
Survivor had to wait for five and a half hour to conduct her medical examination
However, upon reaching MTH Hospital, the staff refused to conduct the examination, insisting that PC Sethi Hospital was responsible. Exhausted and emotionally drained, she returned to PC Sethi Hospital at 1:00 PM, where she was told that doctors would only be available after 2:30 PM. It was only after waiting for over five and a half hours that her medical examination was finally conducted at 3:00 PM.
Frustrated by the ordeal, the survivor confided in the accompanying police officer, expressing deep disappointment over the government hospital’s inefficiency. She lamented that she regretted filing the complaint, as instead of receiving support, she had to suffer and wander from hospital to hospital in search of basic medical care.
Shortage of female doctors in the hospital lead to this incident
When asked about the delay, Dr Virendra Rajgir, in charge of PC Sethi Hospital, admitted that only female doctors could conduct the examination, and two out of five were on leave, leading to the shortage. He claimed that higher authorities had already been informed about the issue. Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr BS Saitya added that action was taken once the delay was reported, but the problem persisted as many doctors had left for postgraduate studies.
This is not the first case of negligence. In February 2024, a minor rape survivor had to wait two days for a medical examination as PC Sethi Hospital lacked a sonography specialist. Despite repeated incidents, no concrete measures have been taken to address these failures, leaving survivors feeling abandoned by the very system meant to support them.