How Rats Ruined a ₹92 Lakh X-ray Machine at Palakkad District Hospital
In July 2021, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Palakkad District Hospital received a state-of-the-art portable digital X-ray machine from Samsung, valued at nearly ₹1 crore. This was part of a corporate social responsibility initiative, meant to ease patient care during a critical time. Despite a swift quality assurance check, the machine was never put to use. Within three months, rats had chewed through its wires, rendering it inoperable. The incident was kept under wraps, only coming to light thanks to public activist Boban Mattumantha, who discovered the truth while investigating hospital crowding issues during the pandemic.
Administrative Negligence
The hospital failed to meet basic storage and infrastructure requirements for such advanced equipment, as stipulated in its agreement with Samsung. The agreement clearly stated that the hospital was responsible for renovating and maintaining the storage room to protect the machine from pests and environmental hazards. No such renovations were made, directly contributing to the rat infestation and subsequent damage.
Who’s Responsible?
When the damage was discovered, the hospital initially denied any malfunction. After Mattumantha’s persistent RTI applications and petitions, a district medical officer’s probe confirmed “rat bite” as the cause. The hospital blamed Samsung for not repairing the machine quickly, but the warranty explicitly excluded damage from pests, making repairs the hospital’s responsibility.
Repair Costs and Fallout
Samsung’s initial repair quote was ₹96,519, but delays in sourcing parts from Korea led to a revised estimate of ₹31.91 lakh. The hospital refused to pay, leaving the machine unused and the community deprived of a vital diagnostic tool.
Wider Implications
This case exposes systemic issues in Kerala’s public health administration, where bureaucratic inertia and negligence can waste valuable resources. Ironically, the same health department that issues advisories on rat fever failed to protect critical hospital equipment from rats. Despite a Vigilance probe initiated in 2023, no significant action has been taken, and the activist who exposed the issue has not yet been called to testify.
The Palakkad X-ray machine case shows that donations and technology aren’t enough to improve healthcare. Without proper care, accountability, and active management, even the best equipment can go to waste.
Read more at: https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2025/06/30/palakkad-hospital-rat-damage.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
