Fracture patients undergoing treatment in the Orthopaedic Department of Darbhanga Medical College Hospital are facing difficulties due to the non-availability of Rapidur, a material used for applying plaster. As the material is not available at the hospital, patients’ attendants are being required to purchase the necessary supplies from the market. This is resulting in additional expenditure for patients who have come to the government hospital for treatment, and the situation has led to dissatisfaction among patients and their families.
A large number of patients requiring treatment for fractures caused by accidents, falls or other reasons visit the Orthopaedic Department every day. Many of these patients require plaster treatment immediately. After the treatment process begins, their attendants are asked to purchase the material required for plaster from outside the hospital, forcing them to first visit a medical store.
After the issue of difficulties faced by patients due to the non-availability of Rapidur came to light, the hospital administration also took cognisance of the situation. The hospital superintendent said Rapidur would be made available soon. The administration said arrangements would be made to procure it shortly so that fracture patients do not have to purchase the material from outside during treatment.
Plaster treatment is an important procedure in cases of fractures. After a bone is broken, doctors examine the patient and determine the treatment according to the condition of the fracture. In many cases, plaster is applied to keep the affected part immobilised. The material required for this needs to be available at the hospital, particularly at a government hospital where patients arrive for treatment from distant areas.
Darbhanga Medical College Hospital is among the major government medical institutions in North Bihar. Patients from Darbhanga as well as Madhubani, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Supaul, Madhepura and surrounding areas also come here for treatment. A large number of patients with serious injuries and fractures also seek treatment at the hospital. Therefore, a shortage of essential material in the Orthopaedic Department directly affects patients and their attendants.
Many patients come from economically weaker families. For them, purchasing additional material during hospital treatment can also be a source of difficulty. When the required material is not available at the hospital, attendants have to first find a medical store and then return to the hospital with the supplies. This can also take additional time during the treatment process.
Patients’ attendants said that when they come to a government hospital for treatment, they expect the necessary materials related to the treatment to be available at the hospital itself. However, when they are asked to purchase material used for plaster from outside, they face both financial and mental difficulties. It is particularly difficult for attendants accompanying patients injured in accidents to leave the hospital and arrange the required material.
Given the number of fracture patients visiting the Orthopaedic Department, regular supply of essential materials such as Rapidur is required. Any delay in supply can affect the treatment process. The hospital administration said arrangements would be made soon to address the shortage.
After the hospital superintendent assured that Rapidur would be made available soon, patients are expecting the issue to be resolved. The supply of the material and arrangements for maintaining regular stock will determine whether the shortage is addressed on a sustained basis.
Government hospitals generally receive a larger number of patients than hospitals with lower patient volumes. Maintaining adequate stocks of essential medical materials is therefore an important responsibility of the hospital administration. A similar arrangement is required for plaster materials in the Orthopaedic Department so that fracture patients do not have to depend unnecessarily on the market for treatment.
The faster and more systematically the treatment process is completed for patients, the more manageable it is for them. In fracture cases, medical examination after an injury and appropriate immobilisation of the affected part may be necessary. The non-availability of plaster material can therefore cause difficulties for patients and their attendants.
The hospital administration has said that Rapidur will be made available soon. If regular supply begins, patients may no longer have to purchase the material from outside. The stock of other essential orthopaedic materials will also need to be checked periodically to prevent shortages of required supplies during treatment.
A large number of patients visiting Darbhanga Medical College Hospital come from surrounding districts and rural areas. For them, travelling outside the hospital premises to a medical store and returning with the material creates additional difficulty. Ensuring the availability of essential materials within the hospital is therefore important for patient convenience.
At present, following the reported shortage of Rapidur in the Orthopaedic Department, patients are having to purchase plaster material from the market. The hospital superintendent has assured that it will be made available soon. Patients and their attendants are now awaiting the start of the supply so that they can avoid additional expenditure and the inconvenience of arranging material from outside during fracture treatment.
