A viral post has sparked controversy online after an Indian-origin content creator criticized the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for its handling of his medical emergency. He shared his experience of seeking treatment for a deep cut on his hand, alleging that he faced significant delays and inadequate care from the NHS. The man claimed that he eventually travelled to India to receive proper medical attention, igniting a heated debate on social media about the effectiveness of the NHS.
In an Instagram video, Aryan Mangal shared that he suffered a severe injury in the UK when a glass shattered on his hand. As a result, he lost the ability to lift his finger. He immediately sought help at a pharmacy, where staff classified the wound as a deep cut requiring hospital attention. They provided temporary care by wrapping the wound and giving him energy tablets to prevent fainting.
He then went to the hospital, where he waited for three hours before being seen by a doctor. He was told to return the next day to consult with a hand plastic surgeon. The surgeon administered numbing injections to Mr Mangal’s hand and instructed him to come back for surgery three days later.
As Mr Mangal prepared to leave, his wound began bleeding again. The doctor tightened the bandage and provided additional dressings to manage potential bleeding at home. However, Mangal soon developed a fever due to an infected wound and had to take medication until Tuesday. Later that evening, he received 7-8 missed calls from the NHS, along with a voicemail notification that his scheduled surgery had been postponed by 4-5 days.
“Frustrated, I booked a flight to India and got my surgery done there. The doctors repaired the tendon and sutured the wound. Soon, I will get my stitches removed and begin physiotherapy. Unfortunately, my experience with the NHS wasn’t great. While the doctors were kind and professional, the delays were excruciatingly painful,” he wrote on Instagram.
See the video here:
Social media users responded with mixed reactions. One user wrote, “I work as an NHS dentist but i am not ashamed to admit NHS system is very very slow! I myself have had very poor experiences with NHS. I would also prefer to travel to my country, India if needed ! Good to know you are feeling better.”
Another commented, “You forget to mention that the treatment you received in UK was free. I don’t suppose the treatment you received in India was free. So no comparison really is it ?”
A third said, “Doctors in India do their job very well but still, people don’t respect & value doctors in India. Sad reality.”
A fourth added, “I understand lately there are lots of issues within the NHS system. However it is not fair to compare UK NHS to Indian private hospitals. Yes if you were ready to pay and go private in the UK, you would have also got the surgery quicker. So it is a very unfair comparison. Please compare it with an Indian government hospital. We pay taxes in both countries but what you get in return in India is shocking compared to the UK.”
