Bengaluru: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has published the Government of Karnataka Report No.1 for the year 2016 (Social Sector). The report has exposed how the state government failed to implement various welfare schemes, thereby creating problems for the general public.
The report contains two performance audits. The first report is related to the healthcare facilities in state sector hospitals, including autonomous and teaching hospitals. A performance audit of these hospitals, including Autonomous and Teaching Hospitals' under the Secondary and Tertiary level of healthcare, was conducted, covering the period 2010-15.
According to the report, out of 113 taluk hospitals, which were upgraded as 100-bed hospitals in 2006-07, only 63 had a bed strength of 100, while the remaining 50 continued to function with a bed strength of less than 100.
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No required permits: Another important observation made by CAG is that in the 28 test-checked hospitals they observed that most of them had not obtained statutory compliance from fire authorities; Atomic Energy Regulation Board for X-ray and CT scan units; State Pollution Control Board for biomedical waste management; excise permits for storing spirit and licence for blood bank /authorisation for storage of blood etc.
No facilities: According to the report, 50 per cent of the general/ district hospitals did not have the services of General Medicine as well as Ophthalmology. Adding to the woes of patients, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatric services were not available in 35, 21 and 41 per cent of the General/District Hospitals respectively. Sixty-eight per cent of the hospitals test-checked had not got their laboratory results validated through external laboratories.
Sorry state: According to the report, during the time of inspection they found that seven hospitals, including KIMS - Hubballi, Cheluvamba-Mysuru, District Hospital Chitradurga and Lady Goschen, Mangaluru, General Hospital Sirsi and General Hospital, Puttur, had overcrowded wards and patients were accommodated on mattresses on the floor and in passages. Some of these hospitals wards were unhygienic, due to seepage of water and formation of fungus.
In almost all the 28 hospitals that were test-checked there was overcrowding in ICUs. Another important observation made by the CAG was the absence of ‘screen’ facility to ensure privacy of patients, shortage of linen, non-availability of potable water and absence of toilets and seating for attendants.
Wastage of blood: In all the hospitals test-checked during 2010-15, it was found a major chunk of blood was being discarded due to expiry of blood. In 11 hospitals, the percentage of expired blood ranged between 10 to 82 per cent during the review period.
According to the report, in Victoria Hospital, Bengaluru, 3,293 units of blood were discarded between 2010-11 and 2014-15 and of this 1,141 units of blood got expired during the same period. In KC General Hospital, Bengaluru, 750 units of blood was discarded and 460 units of blood got expired in the same period.
Condition of Bengaluru hospitals.
