Hyderabad: Moms-to-be forced to cough up delivery charges at government hospital

Hyderabad: Centaury old Government Maternity Hospital in Petlaburj, which has delivered lakhs of children free of cost now turns commercial, as patients and their families allege that soon-to-be mothers are forced to pay delivery charges.

The hospital was built to provide the most advanced medical services for pregnant women in the southern part of the city for free. But now many patients complain that there have been many incidents where they had to pay demanded amounts to get medical services.

Wife of an auto driver from Nizamabad who came all the way to the State capital for delivery said, "We have come to Hyderabad and to this hospital to get free treatment. But to our surprise we are asked to pay for the delivery. Hence we are planning to go to any other government hospital or back to the village as my husband cannot afford it."

The lack of basic medical facilities and poor sanitation conditions in the government maternity hospital has added to the adversities of pregnant women, as per patients, the hospital premises also lack basic cleanliness, due to which ailing patients and their attendants have to go through a lot of disquiet amid Covid-19 pandemic.

"Sanitation workers do not change the bedsheets hence patients are forced to sleep on stained sheets for days. They clean the ward twice or thrice every, one week and also charge every patient for cleaning their beds," said pregnant women currently undergoing treatment at the Petlaburj hospital.

"There are around 600 beds in the hospital and mostly occupied, due to which long queues are seen at the hospital's toilets. Moreover, even though hospital is spread over a wide area it lacks toilets and both the patients and attendants use the same washroom," said another patient.

Apart from paying money, the patient had to face many other difficulties. "Elevators in the hospital building meant for patients don't operate making it difficult for the patient to climb the stairs.," said a patient's attendant.

On the other hand, patients and attendants have to bear the brunt of the lack of basic medical facilities, if they need a bed they have to pay some amount to the concerned staff. Attendants here are paying for everything even for basic medical facilities like ambulances, stretchers and wheelchairs.