Munger hospital blackout forces doctors to treat patients by mobile flashlight

Published 19 July 2026 · health

Patients at Munger's Model Sadar Hospital were reportedly treated using mobile phone flashlights after a power outage plunged the emergency ward into darkness for around

Patients at Munger's Model Sadar Hospital were reportedly treated using mobile phone flashlights after a power outage plunged the emergency ward into darkness for around 45 minutes on Thursday night, disrupting oxygen supply and triggering panic among patients and their families. According to hospital staff and attendants, the sudden blackout left doctors struggling to examine patients and write prescriptions in the dark. Relatives were seen fanning patients manually as the outage affected basic facilities in the emergency ward. Read Full Story Several patients were reportedly on oxygen support when the power went out. Family members alleged that the oxygen supply was also disrupted during the blackout, raising concerns about patient safety.

A video from the hospital showed duty doctor Rajiv Roshan using the flashlight on his mobile phone to examine patients and write medicines, tests and treatment instructions. The incident has also drawn attention to the hospital's emergency backup system. Although inverters were reportedly installed when the hospital building was constructed, hospital sources said they have not been connected to the power system till date. Raghav Kumar, a resident of Belan Bazar, said electricity had been unavailable for nearly half an hour and that repeated calls to the hospital administration went unanswered. "If a patient dies during such a situation, who will be responsible?" he asked.

Family members of a critically ill patient from Parsando village in Haveli Kharagpur said they were considering shifting the patient to a private hospital if the situation did not improve. Duty doctor Rajiv Roshan said the power outage lasted for around 45 minutes. "There has been no electricity for nearly 45 minutes. It is difficult to examine patients and write prescriptions in this darkness. We are currently working with the help of mobile phone flashlights," he said. "The outage is causing problems not only for patients but also for hospital staff. Oxygen services have also been affected," he added.

When contacted, Civil Surgeon Dr Raju said he was not aware of the viral video showing the blackout. "It is unfortunate if the emergency ward remained without power for such a long period. We will speak to the District Programme Manager and hospital manager to gather details. Inverters are also supposed to provide backup supply," he said. The incident has raised serious questions about emergency preparedness and backup infrastructure at one of the district's key public healthcare facilities. Ends With inputs from Govind Kumar