Infra ills take toll on OGH surgery dept
Deficiency in infrastructure has crippled the services in the Surgery Department in the Osmania General Hospital. The Health Department has, however, continued to turn a nelson’s eye to it.
Hyderabad: Deficiency in infrastructure has crippled the services in the Surgery Department in the Osmania General Hospital. The Health Department has, however, continued to turn a nelson’s eye to it.
The 40-bed post-operative surgical ward is equipped with just four monitors that check the pulse and other parameters of patients.
The pipes that supplies oxygen and suction to patients, though connected to all bed, have stopped functioning for long time. Even basic drugs like antibiotics, painkillers, antacids and the glucometers are conspicuous by their absence. Patients are forced to buy the drugs from pharmacies outside the hospital.
Only one ventilator is available in the ward. Doctors are forced to press the ventilator into service whenever emergency arises.
Patients are forced to buy surgical suture material and HIV strips from pharmacies outside the hospital as they are not available in the Emergency Operation Theatre. Ramulu (name changes) said, “I thought that everything is free in OGH.
But, doctors asked me to purchase HIV strips and suture material and they cost me me Rs 500.” A doctor, on the condition of anonymity said, for past 10 years the surgical instruments at EOT had not been replaced and only three operation tables are available.
“We are working between 10 and 12 hours a day. With the no separate room for females, both males and females are forced to sleep on chairs in a single small room. The government is keen on increasing seats in the Postgraduate (PG) course from 22 to 40 , but it has failed to take steps to provide the facilities,” regretted a girl student.
Meanwhile, the 150-year-old hospital is bereft of central lab for emergency diagnosis. The doctors are forced to grapple with lack of facilities to diagnose condition of patients because of lack of sterile kits. Speaking to The Hans India, Dr G V S Murthy, Osmania General Hospital Superintendent, however, said the ventilators and monitors that are available are sufficient. It may be recalled that Minister for Health Laxma Reddy, in response to the demand by junior doctors, promised to provide all facilities soon.
