Hyderabad, Sept. 14: Many poor people have been denied essential medical care in city hospitals in recent weeks. There have also been incidents of abusive behaviour as well as negligence but authorities have not bothered to take action. For instance, Mr Srinivas, a patient in Osmania General Hospital, was administered anaesthesia for surgery.
He was supposed to remain unconscious for two hours, but he regained consciousness within 30 minutes. In another shocking incident, Sudhakar, a DMO in Fever Hospital, misbehaved with a 15-year-old girl in a drunken state. He was later suspended. "It is really shocking and I personally feel very bad about this," said Dr P.P. Prasad, superintendent of Fever Hospital. "He has been here for a year."
Another inebriated doctor, who runs a private clinic near Pahadishareef in Cyberabad, reportedly stabbed a patient who visited him for consultation. Such horror stories occur once in a while, but the negligent attitude towards poor patients is a daily occurrence. Recently, a 60-year-old diabetic, who came all the way from Mahbubnagar to Osmania General Hospital for treatment, was made to walk all around the hospital. Later he had to leave without getting treatment.
Last week, three-year-old Shahadzada Arshia, who was admitted to the Kamineni Hospital after she suffered an electric shock, was sent out after her anxious uncle peered through the ICU window, angering the duty doctor. Her parents had to shift her to another hospital. "The child was not given proper treatment and the hospital authorities also prepared a discharge certificate without asking us," said Mr Yousuf, the girl’s uncle.
Similarly, a couple of days ago, a severely ill HIV positive patient was denied admission by NIMS authorities and was finally admitted only after his family staged a dharna. NIMS doctors were also alleged to have neglected a retired government employee, who died 10 days after being admitted to the hospital.
The nurse on duty even refused to check his temperature saying that the pathology department had no thermometer. The casual way in which Gandhi Hospital staff disposes off syringes, including those used on HIV patients, also evoked much controversy recently.
