The horrifying incident at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital, in Warangal, shook up heads of other Telangana government hospitals. They are anticipating instructions will be issued to cross check if there are pests or rodents in other hospitals, and take measures to keep them away.
Rats have chewed into various parts of a patient undergoing treatment in MGM Hospital’s ICU. His family members lodged a complaint with the hospital’s authorities on Thursday. This is not first such incident at the government hospitals. Rodents have chewed dead bodies in mortuaries at the hospital, and at Osmania General Hospital a few years ago.
Superintendents of a few hospitals in the State have started to chart down the directions to be issued to their staff on Friday before there is any communication from higher authorities.
“We will cross check if there are any AC ducts or other vents are not used in ICUs, and other wards,” said a superintendent.
Officials said that the issue is being viewed seriously by the State government. Director of Medical Education (DME) K Ramesh Reddy said that they will take all measures to ensure such incidents do not repeat. He said that pest and rodent control is one of the top priority.
Officials too are thinking through methods to avoid such horrifying issues such as putting lids on bins where leftover food is dumped.
New contractors would be given the responsibility of sanitation and security of government health facilities. The Integrated Hospital Facility Management Services (Patient Care, Sanitation and Security) services tenders would be floated in a few days.
