Hyderabad: Petlaburj Hospital ails for want of doctors

Hyderabad: It is a double whammy for Government Maternity Hospital at Petlaburj. At a time when the number of patients is increasing, the maternity hospital has been hit by the Covid scare, with six PG students testing positive for Coronavirus and being sent for quarantine. Along with them, 10 doctors were also sent to isolation wards as they came in contact with the students. In all, there are 27 doctors including PG students but, presently, only six PG students and five senior doctors are available.

More than one-third of the staff is now not available. On an average, there are around 70 deliveries that happen in the hospital, out of which more than 30 of the deliveries are done through C-section.

Speaking to The Hans India, Dr S Nagamani, Superintendent, Modern Government Maternity Hospital, Petlaburj, said, "As of now, there are only six PG students and around 160 other staff including sanitation workers and the security guard who are currently working in this hospital. For the past days there has been an increase in the number of OP patients."

The hospital has also been receiving a huge number of referral emergency cases from the other government hospitals.

"There is a need for around 20 PG working staff to handle the patients. Due to lack of staff, it has become a huge trouble for not only the PG staff and the management but also for the patients. There are a lot of referral cases that we receive. With no other option, we are not going to accept any further referral cases due to the staff crunch," adds the senior official.

Now, it is for junior doctors to manage the patients and they are forced to work for longer hours.

Dr KUN Vishnu, the president of Telangana Junior Doctors Association, said, "Around 30, including sanitation staff who used to work with the COVID infected, are sent for isolation and are asked to join their respective duties after 2 to 3 weeks. With a huge number of the staff not able to join their duty, the present working staff is facing a lot of trouble."

He adds further, "Earlier, the junior doctors used to work for 8 hours in a day. However, due to the staff crunch, they are forced to work for 36 hours straight with a minimal break. With only 6 of them available at present, each one will have to look after more than three to four wards at a time, which is impossible to do, but are left with no other choice."

Nuzrat Begum, a resident of Ghansi Bazaar who visited the hospital for her regular check-up, said, "I had to wait for around an hour to just find out if I was supposed to get admitted or not. However, they gave me medicine and said if I get any pain, I'll have to come back." At present, the management and the doctors are holding discussions on what can be done. In case more manpower is needed, they will have to get them from other hospitals.

DIRE STATE OF AFFAIRS

• 6 PG students who tested Covid positive sent for quarantine

• 10 doctors, the primary contacts, shifted to isolation wards

• Over one-third staff not available. On average, there are around 70 deliveries

• More than 30 of the deliveries are done through C-section alone

• The hospital also gets a number of referral emergency cases from other hospitals

• In all, there are 27 doctors including PG students. Now six PG students and five senior doctors are available