Problems plague govt hospitals

​Hyderabad: Gandhi and Osmania General Hospitals here have been facing acute shortage of drugs, diagnostic equipment, blood and other amenities. In some wards, two patients sharing a single bed is a common sight.

The Hans India and HMTV on Saturday conducted a survey on the condition of the hospitals and services being extended by them.

According to patients, both the hospitals are saddled with severe shortage of medicines. Out-patients and in-patients have expressed their distress over the state of affairs in the hospitals. The patients are asked to buy medicines from medical stores outside the hospital.

If doctors prescribe four drugs, at least two drugs are sure to be not available with the hospitals’ pharmacies. Moreover, the medical officers are even asking the patients from where to buy drugs. The doctors appear to be having interest in the medical stores from which they want patients to buy drugs. This is attributed to overcrowding of patients at the hospitals’ pharmacies.

However, Medical and Health Department officials are denying any shortage of medicines. Director of Medical Education Dr Ramani admitted to the fact that some combination drugs required in the treatment of some specific disease are not available with the pharmacies. Patients have to buy them from outside.

Besides the medicines, services of diagnostic medical equipment and blood are in short supply. For want of more CT scans, X-ray machines, the patients have been routed to private diagnostic centres. On account of this, the private diagnostic centres are working round the clock. The patients are also sent to outside to get most basic of blood tests done.

Patients Siva Sankar and Mallaiah (Gandhi hospital) have been expressing anguish as they were forced to undergo test outside. They said that they had spent huge money.

Instances of patients suffering from various ailments being denied treatment on one or other pretext have come to light. When a woman, Kamala, approached hospital with severe abdominal pain, she was asked to come back again on October 28 as the scanning machine has been booked till that date. She wondered how she could cope with the unbearable pain till October 28.

In some wards, each bed is being shared by two patients because severe shortage of beds. Speaking to The Hans India, Jahana of Sanga Reddy said the situation was no better in case of women who have undergone Caesarian operation.

Attendants to patients and patients’ relatives expressed ire at the poor sanitary conditions in the hospitals. They pointed out that the washrooms are kept under lock and key at many places. Even if they are kept open, they have been emitting a reeking smell.

The patients have been complaining of harassment by lower staff. If a male child was born, they demand and extract a bribe of Rs 1,000 from the woman or her near and dear. Right from security to compounder, everyone is bent on harassing patients for bribes. The staff members would not change bed sheets unless their palms are greased.

When The Hans India contacted Gandhi General Hospital Superintendent Dr J Venkateswara Reddy about the problems related by patients, he was emphatic that the patients faced no problems at all.

As the hospital is thronged by patients over and above the capacity of Gandhi General Hospital, there are bound to be some minor problems, which, he said, would be overcome soon.

He recalled that the KCR government had earmarked the highest amount of funds to health sector. Therefore, he ruled out shortage of drugs. Even if there was shortage, the problem willbe attended to in hours.