This paper's report on a rat biting a coma patient in his eye has left the city shaken. The 27-year-old patient, who has been lying in a vegetative state for over a month at Jogeshwari Trauma Centre, has now developed an ulcer in his right eye. Currently, he is undergoing treatment in ICU. To add insult to injury, the patient's relatives have alleged that a staffer misbehaved with them when they sought to complain about the injury, although the hospital denied all the claims.

While the staffer's alleged misbehaviour is unconfirmed, there is no denying the deplorable levels of hygiene in many civic-run medical centres across the city. There has to be much more stress on cleanliness and hospital managements must hold a non-negotiable stance in this matter. The shortage of doctors and funds crunch are well-known, but there should at least be enough support staff to keep the hospitals clean.