Telangana: Diapers raise a stink at Niloufer general ward

Hyderabad: The general ward for infants on the fourth floor of Niloufer Hospital is in a despicable condition. Diapers and plastic bags regularly choke the sewage pipe, leading to foul smelling water getting stagnated and Class IV workers have a tough time removing the blockages.

This is a regular problem in the ward as the attendants of patients do not dispose diapers properly. A senior doctor said, “Some of them even put cloth nappies in the sewage pipe and are not willing to clean them for re-use. We have a major shortage of nurses and staff workers to monitor this on a regular basis.” Insiders say that the cleaning contractor for the hospital has also not been carrying out the work as required.

Dr Pradeep Rathod, a junior doctor, said, “The cleaning procedures are not followed as required and due to this reason the problem is recurring every few months. No one is able to handle the contractor to ensure that the work is done properly.” V. Kumar Anna, whose two-year-old child has been suffering from pneumonia, has been in the hospital since a fortnight. He said, “There are no waste bins and when we ask the nurses or Class IV employees, no one listens. We can’t leave the child and go out to dispose waste, hence everything is thrown here.”