Doctor starts free OPD at gate of closed government hospital in Kanpur

To express his unique protest against the poor state of the government healthcare system in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, a doctor has started treating patients right outside the gates of a closed hospital. Despite the grand building of this 100-bed hospital, located near the BJP headquarters, being ready for the last 2 years, it remains shut. Locks hang on the hospital doors, and due to the non-appointment of doctors and other staff, ordinary patients are unable to avail of this facility. Distressed by this situation, Shashikant Mishra, an MBBS doctor from Kanpur Medical College, has started his own free OPD just outside the main gate of the hospital.

According to a report by Aaj Tak News, Doctor Shashikant Mishra, along with his compounder and medical operator, is examining patients on the road. He has also kept a stock of medicines there and is providing free medicines to the visiting patients. He is not charging any fee or charges for this entire process. The doctor has clarified that until this government hospital becomes operational and its doors open for patients, he will continue to serve patients by sitting on the road in this manner.

The doctor has also put up a banner at the hospital gate. He is associated with a social organization named 'Nar Seva Narayan Seva'. His primary objective through this step is to draw the attention of the administration and the government towards this closed hospital. This OPD, which started on Thursday, continued on Friday as well, but during this time, local police arrived and attempted to remove the doctor from the spot.

Speaking of the history of this hospital, the government had cleared the land near the BJP headquarters in the southern area of Kanpur and granted permission to build a 100-bed hospital. The magnificent building of this hospital was completely ready about 2 years ago. However, unfortunately, even after the building was completed, no posting of doctors and other necessary staff was done. Consequently, despite the entire building being ready, treatment could not start in the hospital.

If this hospital had started, lakhs of people in South Kanpur would have benefited greatly. Currently, patients in this area have to travel several kilometres to the Medical College for treatment. Local residents and other doctors have written letters to the administration multiple times to get this hospital started. Being near the BJP headquarters, people also appealed to many leaders visiting the area to start the hospital. Opposition parties have also held several demonstrations on this issue, yet the hospital could not be started. Due to this very problem, Doctor Shashikant Mishra decided to start an OPD at the closed gate to attract the administration's attention.

MBBS doctor Shashikant Mishra stated that this is not a common protest, but a way to draw the administration's attention. He added that he had previously met several officials and filed written complaints multiple times, but no concrete action was taken. Since lakhs of people are facing difficulties due to the hospital being closed, he decided to set up a free OPD by the roadside. He hopes that this step will bring his voice to the high officials of the administration and the hospital will start quickly.

When the doctor started the OPD again on Friday morning, local police sub-inspectors and constables reached the spot. The police asked the doctor to move and also removed his banner placed on the gate. Police personnel gave him strict instructions not to run the OPD there. Meanwhile, upon learning of the incident, Congress Assembly in-charge Vikas Awasthi also reached the spot. He raised his voice in support of Doctor Shashikant Mishra and strongly opposed the police action.

Doctor Shashikant Mishra is an MBBS from Kanpur Medical College. He served as a doctor in several government hospitals of Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, he retired and currently runs his own private clinic.