Srikakulam: Kin complain of lack of proper info on patients at Covid hospitals

Srikakulam: Information on Covid patients is not being provided by the officials and staff of the Covid hospitals to the kin of the patients.

Government's Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospital located in Srikakulam city and a private teaching hospital Great Eastern Medical Sciences (GEMS) located at Ragolu near the city were initially identified as Covid hospitals.

After admission of the patients, information regarding treatment of patients and information pertaining to patients 'deaths while on treatment is not being properly provided, complain kin of patients.

Fromvillage or ward level volunteer, medical, revenue and doctors and staff at hospitals are not providing proper information and everyone is escaping by providing evasive reply, allege family members of patients.

Two incidents have exposed loopholes in the Covid monitoring system in the district. One G Eswara Rao (67), a resident of Gokarnapalli in Pondurumandal reached Srikakulam road railway station on Falaknuma train on July 21 from Hyderabad.

He was sent to government RIMS hospital directly from the railway station but the medical staff there refused to admit him.

Same dayEswara Rao reached his native village Gokarnapalli. After three days, he received a phone call from the revenue staff and soon after the call he was picked by the medical ambulance staff and was admitted to RIMS hospital. A Even three days after the got admitted to the hospital, his family members did not receive any information about him. They made phone calls to doctors, officials and political leaders etc but they could not get any information.

Finally, his family members lodged a complaint with the Ponduru police for information. "We have received a complaint and informed it to medical and health officials for proper verification," Ponduru Sub-Inspector (SI) KRamakrishna explained to The Hans India.

Another Covid patient SVenkata Rao of Lankapeta village in Garamandal was admitted at RIMS hospital Srikakulam on July 19 and later he was shifted to GEMS hospital at Ragolu. But information regarding the patient is not being provided to his family members.

They also made all types of efforts to get information but were vexed with the improper replies provided at different levels and lodged a complaint with the Gara police.

"We have received a complaint and forwarded the same to Srikakulam rural police," Gara SI, MHariKrishna told this newspaper.

Finally, the patient, Venkata Rao's dead body was found at GEMS hospital on Friday. "We are admitting patients by registering address on their Aadhaar cards and will rectify problems," said District Surveillance Officer for monitoring of Covid cases Dr Bagadi Jagannadha Rao and District Medical and Health Officer Dr M Chenchayya.