Rats Spotted in Newborn Care Unit of District Hospital In Madhya Pradesh

Days after a video showing rats roaming freely in the ICU and orthopedic ward of Jabalpur's Victoria Hospital triggered public outrage, a similar and deeply disturbing incident has now surfaced from Satna district in Madhya Pradesh.

A video allegedly recorded inside the Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Government District Hospital has gone viral on social media, raising serious questions about hygiene and patient safety in government hospitals.

The video, said to be two days old, shows rats moving openly inside the SNCU, a critical ward meant for newborn babies who fall ill immediately after birth.

In one of the clips, a rat can be seen emerging from beneath a computer monitor with a piece of "pakoda" in its mouth, climbing over a Wi-Fi router placed on a desk inside the unit. Seconds later, the rat drops the food and quickly disappears.

Moments later, two more rats are seen running one after another inside the newborn unit, creating panic-like conditions in an area meant to provide sterile and intensive care to infants.

The incident has sparked widespread concern, especially in the wake of earlier tragedies.

The problem of rats in government hospitals of Madhya Pradesh is not new. In Indore's Maharaja Yashwantrao (MY) Hospital, the largest government hospital in the state. Three months ago, two newborns died after being bitten by rats in the NICU. The infants suffered severe infections following the bites and died within two days. The incident shocked the state and drew national attention.

Despite repeated assurances by authorities, the Satna hospital video appears to expose serious gaps in pest control and cleanliness.

Hospital officials claim that rat cages and traps have been installed in all wards, including the SNCU, and that pest control is conducted regularly. However, the visuals from inside the newborn unit tell a different story.

The presence of food items inside the SNCU office has also raised questions about staff practices. Sources say hospital staff frequently order and consume food inside the unit, leaving crumbs behind that attract rodents, further worsening the situation.

The Special Newborn Care Unit at the district hospital was constructed in 2009. Initially, it had separate sections for inborn and outborn babies, each with 10 beds. Over time, a High Dependency Unit for critically ill newborns was also added. 

Responding to the viral video, Civil Surgeon Dr Amar Singh said that the situation was being exaggerated and that there was no widespread rat menace. He attributed the incident to the old hospital building.

"There is no terror of rats. This is an old building, and rats may have come in from somewhere. We have arrangements to deal with mosquitoes and rats, and all preventive measures are in place. We are searching to see if there are any holes from where the rats are coming. We accept that rats pose a risk, and we are taking steps to address it," he said.