Hyderabad: Patients at a loss to approach ESI doctors

Hyderabad: The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Super Speciality Hospital, Sanathnagar, which is touted to be a must-visit hospital for government employees, appears to be losing sheen. Now, the state of affairs leaves one i.e., beneficiary of ESI scheme much disappointed, allege the visitors.

Worried over the goings-on, an RTI plea was filed by Galibe Vishal, a social activist with Suraksha Yojana Welfare Society, on the procedures to get an appointment at the hospital, as many patients visiting it directions are being turned away to first visit dispensaries close to their places.

Vishal said, "There is a lot of confusion at the hospital due to lack of guidelines. On March 12, I filed an RTI regarding the process of the outpatient visit at ESIC Super Specialty Hospital, Sanathnagar. There are no guidelines nor any information displayed about the process of a patient visit to the hospital. People also do not know which doctor to approach and whether the doctor is not available at the stipulated timings."

Several patients complained that the doctors ask them to first go to a dispensary in their local area and more often than not medicines are not available there. Sai Teja, a resident of Kukatpally said, "I did not have a good experience. The staff asked me to come the following day. We contribute a certain amount for treatment every month. There are no set procedures."

"We visit the hospital for getting treatment not for wandering from one corner to another for seeking information on how to approach the doctor concerned for want of right information," said Anitha, resident of Jeedimelta. Meanwhile, Dr K K Pal, Superintendent, ESIC Super Specialty Hospital, Sanathnagar, denied the allegations made by the social activist.