Harish Rao Highlights Lapses at Siddipet GMCH

Siddipet: BRS legislature party deputy floor leader T Harish Rao on Tuesday alleged serious deficiencies in the functioning of Siddipet Government Medical College Hospital after he found several “doctors on duty” were absent during a surprise inspection.

During his visit around 2pm, the former minister checked the attendance registers in the RMO’s room and found that several doctors who had signed the registers were not present in their respective departments. He personally called some of them to enquire about their whereabouts.

Harish Rao later inspected the maternity, orthopaedic and paediatric wards and the pharmacy, besides interacting with patients.

At a review meeting with hospital officials, he said key departments, including orthopaedics, general medicine, general surgery, radiology, ophthalmology and dental surgery, had no senior doctors available even at 2.30pm. Only one doctor was present in the paediatrics department, while gynaecologists were also unavailable.

The former minister said the hospital had 230 regular doctors and 88 postgraduate doctors, taking the total strength to 318, but only 301 in-patients were admitted against its 600-bed capacity. The hospital handles 1,000 to 1,500 out-patients daily, he added.

Harish Rao said Rs 30 crore in Aarogyasri reimbursements was pending for Siddipet Medical College Hospital, while dues across Telangana exceeded Rs 1,000 crore. He said the delay had affected the procurement of medicines and surgical equipment. The supply of knee replacement implants had stopped in July 2024, forcing poor patients to seek treatment at private hospitals.

He also pointed to shortages of essential supplies, including syringes, emergency medicines and surgical sutures. Of the 350 non-surgical medicines required, only 160 were available, while just 70 of the 150 surgical medicines were being supplied.

Harish Rao claimed that none of the 10 ventilators in the paediatric ward was functioning and that patients were being prescribed medicines worth Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 from private medical shops.

The senior leader said the 1,000-bed hospital project, which was 90 per cent complete during the previous BRS rule, had remained unfinished for nearly three years. He also expressed concern over the discontinuation of the KCR Kit scheme and financial assistance to mothers.

Delays in diagnostic services and surgeries were another concern. CT scan reports were reportedly taking three to four days, while patients had to wait four to five days for minor orthopaedic procedures. The orthopaedic department, with 18 doctors, performed 69 major and 136 minor surgeries last month. The general surgery department recorded 72 major and 96 minor procedures, while the ophthalmology department performed 59 surgeries.

Harish Rao directed doctors to ensure that surgeries were performed within 24 hours of a patient's admission. He advised all doctors to remain available from 9am to 4pm and said he would personally review the hospital's performance every month.