WHEN DOCS GET SICK

Contaminated water leaves hostelers atB J Medical College in grip of water-borne disease. Students struggle to studyfor their ongoing examination due to weakness, but poor hygienic conditionscontinue

Doctors are supposed to be infallible and the assumption is they don't fall sick like the average person. But the truth is otherwise. Poor hygienic conditions and contaminated water has taken a toll on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate students at B J Medical College.
“For the past three months, several students have fallen sick due to impure water supplied at the hostels.The condition is worse in A and B Blocks,“ said a student of the college on condition of anonymity. Each hostel has around 800 inmates.

At least 20 students in Block B are suffering from stomach infection, said the student, while in the remaining wards there are around 70 students battling water-borne infections.

The shocking part is the students have no option but to appear for an ongoing examination in this acute condition. Their condition and the accompanying weakness has affected their prepartions for the exmination.According to a hosteler, “More than 70 students are still in the grip of fever, while at least 40 per cent of students at the hostels have been diagnosed with gastroenteritis at least once.“

The condition is so bad that a final year under-graduate student had to appear for an examination with intravenous injection. “He was hospitalised for four days and released on Wednesday as his condition was bad,“ said another undergraduate final year student.

“In chronic gastroenteritis, patients are advised bed rest.They have recurrent vomits and high fever. So, how can they prepare for the examination in such condition?,“ questioned a junior doctor.

The restricted diet with no rest has made these students very weak. Similar conditions exist at both girls' and boys' hostels.

NO LESSONS LEARNT

To see things in perspective, this is not the first time that water issues have been plaguing the students. The condition has prevailed for past two years and despite complaints, the authority hasn't paid much heed.

The college authority had recently got the water tanks cleaned but failed to check the contamination.

Mirror found holes in the main water underground tank from where water is supplied to the hostels. The surrounding area is untidy and covered in shrubs.

Talking to Mirror, a student who was recently diagnosed with indigestion problem said that he couldn't go to college for several days due to severe stomach ache and was advised complete bed rest.

“The drinking water provided at our hostels stinks sometimes. So we ensure that we fill the water bottles before we leave the college for the hostel,“ said another student.

However, one of the wardens of the hostels, Dr Nitin Parmar, told Mirror, “We have already installed water filters in the hostels.“ But Mirror found out that the RO plant was not in a working condition.

Students have no option but to source drinking water from outside. Water suppliers provide water to the hostels at regular intervals. “Though water is our constitutional right and should be free, we have to pay for it. Every room inmate has to source 20-litre bottled water which costs Rs 400 every month,“ said a second year undergrad from B Block.

Sometimes, at the undergrad hostel, there is no water supply for four to five days. And in post-graduate hostels, there is no specific time for the supply of water, claimed the student.

NO ONE CARES

Several attempts to contact Dr Bharat Shah, dean of the college and Dr Pranay Shah, additional dean, over two days, remained unsuccesful.

In fact, when Mirror visited the college to speak to the concerned authority, none of them were available. And no official had information about their whereabouts. Similarly, students told Mirror that whenever they approach the authority to lodge a complaint, either they are unavailable or they threaten students.

“On many occasions, students are threatened in a manner that they don't dare to raise their voice. In medical examination, practical marks are very essential and it is in the hands of the professors. So, if we try to fight for our rights, we are given low marks which affect our academic status,“ said a representative of students in college.

Regarding the poor hygiene and lack of clean drinking water, Anil Mukim, principal secretary, Health and Family Welfare department, said, “I am not aware of this situation. I will investigate the matter and take immediate action.“

WHAT AILS THEM

Gastroenteritis is infectious diarrhoea that leads to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that involves both the stomach and small intestine. It leads to diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramps. It is a water-borne disease and occurs mostly due to contaminated water supply.