The deplorable state the Indian hospitals are in was confirmed yesterday by a shocking incident reported by an Indian newspaper.

Ants ate up a patient's eyelid while she was in the Sambhu Nath Pandit Hospital, the Statesman said.

Gouri Rani Chakraborty, 55, was admitted to the hospital on November 7 with high diabetes and kidney problems. She underwent a cataract surgery in the right eye on 25 September and she hadn't experienced any problems until two nights ago.

But last night, her son noticed that her left eye was covered with ants. Upon lifting the bandage, he was shocked to see that a portion of his mother's eyelid had been eaten by the ants.

Soumen, her son, had to remove the ants himself, because the nurse who was on duty said that was not part of her job.

Doctors have said ant attacks on diabetic patients are a common occurrence, but they refused to comment on how the eyelid had been damaged.