Hyderabad: The century-old state-run historic Osmania General Hospital (OGH) remains neglected with overcrowded wards. Patients are forced to share beds. Patients sitting on the floor with attendants holding IV drips is a common sight.
Patients and their attendants have complained that they have to wait in long queues for undergoing laboratory tests, as the hospital has been facing acute shortage of diagnostic equipment and paramedical staff. One attendant of a patient Sajid Ali stated that one had to wait for over an hour for an X-Ray to be done and added that due to the heavy rush, the staff became tired and irritated.
Another person complained that the hospital had asked a female patient to share a bed with a male patient. Beds in the hospital were not sufficient. Medical interns were seen busy with their smart phones while patients were queuing up. He said at nights, stray dogs entered the hospital wards.
Attendants of patients and their relatives expressed anger over the poor sanitary conditions in the hospital. One of the attendants M. A. Quadeer said washrooms had been reeking of a putrid smell and for that condition management and users were equally responsible.
Few NGOs had provided wheelchairs and other equipment to the hospital. Helping Hands Foundation had provided wheelchairs and their volunteers were rendering their services to the patients by wheeling them to their respective wards. Mohammed Manzoor of the NGO, said in the morning 15-20 volunteers rendered services while about 5 volunteers served till midnight.
Osmania Hospital admitted more than 150 patients daily. Hospital sources said that nowadays patients affected by seasonal ailments were also approaching. “As we are admitting every patient, the occupancy rate is higher than the available beds. The wards are overcrowded largely due to the influx of patients referred by doctors not only from the city but also from the districts of Telangana and neighboring states.”
Medical equipment was getting damaged due to maximum utilization which is one of the factors for delay in diagnosing the patients, said a staff member of the hospital. He said poor patients who cannot bear the bills of private hospitals have no option but to approach government hospitals.
