Hospitals reeling under staff crunch: Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka
CLP Leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Jangaon DCC President Janga Raghava Reddy speaking to the staff of government hospital in Jangaon on Thursday
Jangaon: Due to inadequate infrastructure and medical staff in the Jangaon Government Hospital, majority of the people tested positive for the coronavirus were making a beeline before the private hospitals, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said.
Bhatti, who along with Jangaon District Congress Committee (DCC) President Janga Raghava Reddy inspected the healthcare facilities extended to the Covid-19 patients in the hospital on Thursday, said that nearly half of the posts of the sanctioned 70 are vacant, and
the number of attending duties is even less.
Speaking to the media persons, he said that majority of the 30 to 40 cases of coronavirus cases identified in the district are opting to get treatment at private hospitals in Hyderabad. "This shows the level of trust the people have in State-run hospitals, which barely have adequate number of medical officers and equipment. It's really horrible that emergency, OP and casualty wards do not even have emergency medicine kits."
He alleged that the majority of medical officers working in the government hospital are more focused on their private practice. Further he alleged that these doctors have the backing of the local MLA. The MLA is reportedly encouraging the government doctors to refer the Covid-19 patients to a private hospital in Hyderabad," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Jangaon District Congress Committee (DCC) President Janga Raghava Reddy said that the Mother and Childcare Hospital (MCH) in the town is also grappling with staff crunch. The government is yet to fill 22 posts of the 60 sanctioned posts in the MCH, he said, demanding the government to install biometric attendance to check the absentees. He also pointed out the lack of CPAP and ventilator facilities required for the new-borns.
The DCC chief said though the district hospital has received six ventilators three months ago, they were not installed yet. He said that the X-ray machine had gone defunct. With there being no CT scan facility, the patients have to bear Rs 7,000 to get in the private centres.