Uttarpara CPI-M candidate flags mismanagement at state hospital
The Statesman | 28 March 2026
The CPI-M candidate for the Uttarpara Assembly constituency, Minakshi Mukherjee, has raised concerns over the deteriorating state of healthcare services in government-run hospitals, highlighting the free movement of animals within Uttarpara State General Hospital.
During her election campaign, Mukherjee drew voters’ attention to what she described as a serious lapse in hospital management. She alleged that dogs roam freely beside patients’ beds, while cows wander around the hospital’s waiting areas.
Her remarks come in the wake of a recent incident at Gourhati ESI Hospital, where photographs of a dog lying on a patient’s bed went viral. Similar scenes, she claimed, are visible at Uttarpara State General Hospital, where both cows and dogs have been spotted moving unchecked within the premises.
Relatives of patients visiting the hospital have also questioned how animals are entering and roaming freely inside a healthcare facility meant for humans.
Mukherjee said that in a hospital setting, the presence of stray animals reflects poorly on the healthcare system. She described it as a clear indication of neglect and added that the problem is not confined to Uttarpara alone, but is prevalent in several hospitals across the region.
Responding to the allegations, Md Mohsin, Superintendent of Uttarpara State General Hospital, said that a portion of the boundary wall has been damaged, allowing animals to enter through the breach. He added that an estimate for reconstructing the wall has already been submitted to the health department, and work will begin once funds are sanctioned.