“Treatment or a test?” Kolkata hospitals under fire over lack of toilets for critical patients

A serious crisis in basic healthcare infrastructure has come to light in Kolkata, where critically ill patients in major government hospitals are reportedly struggling to access something as fundamental as toilets. Despite the city’s reputation for advanced medical facilities, disturbing accounts from emergency wards suggest that patients are being forced to endure inhumane conditions while battling serious illnesses.

The issue has been highlighted across prominent institutions such as SSKM Hospital, Kolkata Medical College, and Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, where a severe shortage of toilets in emergency wards has been reported. Patients arriving in critical condition are often left without immediate access to sanitation facilities, raising serious concerns about both dignity and safety.

Accounts from hospital premises paint a troubling picture. In one instance, an injured patient reportedly waited for hours in a wheelchair, pleading to use a toilet. In another case, a patient in acute pain was advised to use a public “Sulabh” toilet outside the hospital due to the lack of facilities within the emergency ward. A particularly distressing situation involved a female patient who had to manage in an enclosed space during her menstrual cycle due to the absence of proper amenities.

Investigations suggest that in many hospitals, toilets are reserved only for admitted patients, leaving those in emergency wards and their attendants with limited or no access. As a result, families are often forced to walk long distances to pay-and-use facilities or resort to makeshift arrangements. In some cases, patients have reportedly been advised to use diapers or containers, highlighting the extent of the problem.

Medical experts warn that such conditions are not merely inconvenient but potentially life-threatening. For patients with heart conditions, severe injuries, or post-surgical complications, the physical strain of moving long distances to access toilets can worsen their condition. Reports of a patient collapsing while attempting to reach a distant facility have intensified concerns over systemic neglect.

The situation has sparked growing public outrage, with repeated complaints failing to bring visible improvements. The stark contrast between modern medical equipment and the absence of basic sanitation facilities raises fundamental questions about healthcare priorities. As pressure mounts, the focus now shifts to whether authorities will act swiftly to restore dignity and safety for patients or allow the issue to persist unchecked.