Hospital Lift Failure Raises Questions Over Healthcare Infrastructure
Munish Sood
Mandi
Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Harsh Mahajan was rushed to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) Hospital in Shimla on Saturday after he suddenly fell ill during a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Mahajan was addressing the media during the demonstration over the election of the Zila Parishad Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson when he reportedly felt dizzy and nearly collapsed. BJP leaders, including Chopal MLA Balbir Verma, immediately came to his aid before he was shifted to IGMC for medical treatment.
The incident triggered panic at the protest venue, with party workers and supporters rushing to ensure that the senior BJP leader received immediate medical attention.
However, another development at the hospital sparked fresh concerns over the state’s healthcare infrastructure. As Mahajan was brought to IGMC—Himachal Pradesh’s premier government healthcare institution—the hospital’s lift was reportedly out of order. Supporters and hospital staff had to carry him on a stretcher to the Critical Care Unit (CCU), raising serious questions about the maintenance of essential facilities at the state’s largest referral hospital.
The episode is likely to intensify the political debate over the government’s repeated claims of strengthening healthcare services, with critics arguing that such basic infrastructure failures expose significant gaps in the public health system.
According to hospital authorities, Mahajan was provided immediate medical care and kept under the observation of a team of specialists. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur also visited the hospital to enquire about his health and interacted with doctors overseeing his treatment.
Later in the day, Mahajan himself reassured supporters through a social media post, stating that he had made a complete recovery. He said the health issue required brief hospitalization but credited God’s blessings, timely medical treatment and the prayers and good wishes of supporters for his recovery.
“I am now completely healthy,” Mahajan wrote, while expressing heartfelt gratitude to everyone who called, sent messages or prayed for his well-being. He added that the affection, trust and blessings of the people remain his greatest source of strength.
While Mahajan’s recovery has brought relief to his supporters, the reported lift failure at IGMC has shifted attention to the condition of healthcare infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh, with many questioning whether the state’s premier hospital is adequately equipped to handle medical emergencies.
