The Osmania General Hospital here continues to grapple with a significant patient load and a severe shortage of beds, pressing the need for a new facility, as stressed by doctors.
During morning and afternoon hours, the out-patient ward sees an alarming overcrowding, leaving patients with no place to even sit or wait. Many patients are forced to stand for hours in hope of securing an appointment with specialist doctors. Water leakage from pipes and visible stains create an unsightly and unhygienic atmosphere along the path leading from the parking area to the out-patient ward.
In the absence of adequate space, the collection of patient samples is being done in the open, raising concerns about hygiene and sanitation. In close proximity to the out-patient ward’s barber room, there are two washrooms designated for men and women. For a hospital which is on the frontiers of saving lives, the unsanitary women’s washroom appears like a threat. The water from it overflows into the corridor, while the male washroom remains inaccessible to patients due to a pile of garbage near the entrance.
A junior doctor speaking to The Hindu raised concerns about the Orthopaedic Intensive Care Unit (ICU) located within the out-patient building. The unit lacks proper beds, adequate spacing between patients, and curtains for maintaining privacy. These deficiencies significantly increase the risk of infections spreading among patients. Similarly, the surgical ICU suffers from malfunctioning air-conditioning units and poor ventilation, which led to a patient resorting to sleeping outside the ICU while awaiting medical attention due to insufficient space.
Within the Acute Medical Care Unit (AMCU), several beds lack monitors and an infusion unit, rendering it nearly impossible for doctors to effectively treat patients. Ideally, a hospital should have a minimum of 150 beds in the AMCU, whereas this particular unit is equipped with only 20 beds. Likewise, the casualty ward requires a minimum of 30 to 50 beds, yet it currently operates with a capacity of only 5 to 10 beds, further exacerbating the situation, according to a doctor’s statement.
The in-patient block of the hospital witnesses an average of 300 admissions daily. With each patient requiring a minimum of one week of treatment, the management of such a high volume of patients becomes increasingly challenging. Doctors of the Osmania Junior Doctors Association liken the ward to a function hall emphasising its sub-standard conditions.
In response to the concerns, Dr. B Nagendar, the Hospital Superintendent, highlighted that the staff is diligent in maintaining cleanliness within the hospital. However, he also emphasised the shared responsibility of patients and their attendants in keeping the premises clean and free of litter. To mitigate congestion, the hospital has increased the number of counters for patients, with the out-patient count rising from 6 to 9, along with two additional counters for the review of old patients. The pharmacy has also expanded to 10 counters to ensure more efficient management, Dr. Nagendar added.
