Rajamahendravaram: Poor infrastructure, staff crunch plague ESI hospital

Rajamahendravaram: The state and the Central governments despite tall claims of according top priority to health sector, neglecting many hospitals in the state. One of them is ESIC (Employees State Insurance Corporation) hospital here which has been functioning for the last three decades.

Crumbling building, severe fund crunch, shortage of staff, poor hygiene, rickety beds are some of the problems plaguing the hospital which serves more than one lakh poor workers in both Godavari districts. In-patients are in grip of fear as building is in highly dilapidated condition.

ESI hospital resident medical officer Dr K Rama Krishna told The Hans India on Friday that as there has been no operation theatre in the hospital, they are performing only minor surgeries and referring major surgeries to other hospitals.

The hospital is expiring severe staff crunch as only 40 employees are working in the hospital currently in various departments as against the total strength of 100. The sanitation is the major casualty of the staff shortage as only four sanitation workers are now working in the hospital out of 40 strength.

Moreover, the government is yet to clear arrears to the tune of Rs 30 crore to five tie-up corporate hospitals in Rajamahendravaram. Similarly, the government has also to pay outstanding dues of Rs 6 lakh towards electricity charges.

The government is paying Rs 53 to each for inpatient for breakfast, lunch and supper and the hospital has 50 beds. Daily, around 200 outpatients visit the hospital, with the number touching 500 on some days.

There has been a proposal to construct a new building with 100 bed strength to cater the needs of about 1.50 lakh workers and their families. When contacted, Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat Ram said he would contact the officials of ESI Corporation in New Delhi for the speedy construction of the new building.