AP: Health minister makes surprise visit to hospital

The minister spent nearly three-and-half-hours in the hospital interacting with patients to find out the turnaround time in out-patient ward, quality of food being supplied to patients, pharmacy, usage of stretchers and wheelchairs to move patients, maintenance of sanitation on the hospital premises, cleanliness in washrooms and a host of other facilities.

The minister during his interaction with patients learnt that OPD registrations were being carried out in 10-15 minutes. Diet of 2,417 kilocalories is given to each patient per day and nearly 2,500 patients on an average visit the hospital per day.

The minister visited departments like general surgery, general medicine, cardiology, ENT and others.

When the minister inquired about the phenomenon of attendants helping patients with stretchers and wheelchairs to go to doctors in various wings, he was told about the lack of nursing orderlies. The minister directed the officials from the directorate of medical education to look into the issue to resolve it. After observing lack of proper doors to the washrooms, the minister directed the officials to attend to it.

He also directed the hospital authorities to communicate to health ministry with regard to the lack of doctors and health staff in the hospital so that necessary measures would be taken up.

Later, the minister told the media that the situation in the hospital was relatively better and there was a scope to improve the healthcare services and amenities in the hospital.