In the city of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, one doctor initiated an unusual protest regarding the unsatisfactory state of the public healthcare system. A luxurious 100-bed hospital building, located near the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been closed for two years. Due to a lack of staff and doctors, the hospital is not providing services to patients.
In this situation, Dr. Shashikant Mishra, who received his MBBS degree from the Medical College of Kanpur, began providing free outpatient care right at the hospital gates. He, along with his compounder and medical operator, treats patients on the street, providing them with free medicine and charging no fees.
The doctor stated that he would continue to provide assistance to patients in this manner until the hospital opens. He placed a banner at the entrance indicating his affiliation with the social organization 'Nar Seva Narayan Seva,' attempting to draw the attention of the administration and government to the issue of the closed hospital. His clinic, which started on Thursday, continued on Friday, but on that day, the police arrived to demand that he leave.
The land in the southern area of Kanpur, next to the BJP headquarters, was allocated by the government for the construction of a 100-bed hospital. The luxurious building was completed about two years ago, but no doctors or other staff have been appointed yet. This has resulted in the fact that despite the readiness of the building, treatment in the hospital has not begun.
The opening of this hospital could benefit millions of residents of South Kanpur. Currently, residents of this area have to travel many kilometers to the Medical College to receive medical care. Local residents and doctors have repeatedly appealed to the administration to open the hospital, and people have also approached political figures near the BJP headquarters with similar requests.
Despite protests from opposition parties on this matter, the hospital has not been launched. It is precisely because of this problem that Dr. Shashikant Mishra decided to start treating patients at the closed hospital gates to attract the attention of the administration.
Dr. Shashikant Mishra obtained his MBBS degree from the Medical College of Kanpur and previously worked as a doctor in several state hospitals. After that, he retired and opened his own clinic. He reported that he had met with many officials and submitted written complaints about the hospital's opening, but no action had been taken.
According to the doctor, the closure of the hospital creates serious difficulties for millions of people. Therefore, he decided to organize a free clinic on the roadside near its entrance. He emphasized that this is not a formal protest, but a method of conveying his position to the government and administration. He noted that patients are receiving free treatment and medication, and he hopes that his actions will attract the attention of high-ranking administrative officials, allowing the hospital to open soon.
When Dr. Shashikant's clinic began on Friday morning, local police and a constable arrived at the scene. The police demanded that he leave and confiscated his banner from the gate. Police officers instructed him not to hold the clinic in that location. At this time, upon receiving information, Vikas Avasti, responsible for the legislative body of the Congress, also arrived at the scene. He began protesting against the police action in support of the doctor. Vikas Avasti questioned why the police were interfering when the hospital has been ready for two years, and the administration cannot open it, while the doctor is providing free care to patients on the street.
Vikas Avasti stated that the process of creating the hospital took about nine years. Now that the building is ready, instead of launching it, they are trying to stop the doctor who is helping patients. He demanded the prompt opening of the hospital.
Dr. Shashikant's clinic operates daily from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon. Among the patients seeking help are the elderly, women, youth, and other citizens. Patients note that the doctor continues to treat them on the street despite the hospital being closed, and they receive free medication that helps them.
After the police arrived, the doctor reported that the officers demanded he move the clinic. The police offered him the option of holding the clinic at the police station, but before this could happen, the Congress leader arrived at the scene and began protesting. Currently, Dr. Shashikant insists on holding the clinic in this specific location until the hospital opens, and he is supported by opposition leaders.
