Fever Hospital popular at 100
Staff optimistic about future, hope state funds will make it world-class
Hyderabad: The Fever Hospital turned a 100 on Saturday, November 21, and its age is quite evident from the decaying blocks housing the various wards. However, the staff is quite optimistic that the funds allotted by the government will ensure that it once again regains its past glory and becomes a world-class health-care centre.
On Saturday, health minister Laxma Reddy said that an emergency centre will be set up at the hospital and also the outpatient department will be improved.
Work on extending the outpatient wing has started and the number of rooms is being increased so that more patients can be accommodated. With 100 patients coming on a daily basis, mostly from the districts, the hospital remains as popular as ever.
Dr Laxma Reddy said, “We are going to provide the best of equipment for this hospital so that all the patients can be treated here.”
It has been found that due to lack of equipment, patients have had to be shifted to Gandhi or Osmania General hospitals.
The Fever Hospital had in 1923 become the only solace for people inflicted by the dreaded plague. They were treated in small sheds in the hospital. At that time, dedicated nuns and British surgeons looked after these patients. In 1997, during the centenary celebrations of Sir Ronald Ross, the man who discovered the lifecycle of malaria parasite in mosquito, the hospital was renamed the “Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical and Communicable Diseases”.
One of their senior-most nurses Waralaxmi said, “A lot of poor patients have always preferred this hospital. Every day, we get patients who come from far off districts. This trend still continues. Despite the name being changed, the hospital is still famous as Fever Hospital.”
Hospital superintendent K. Shankar said, “We want to start an acute care unit to attend to patients in a very serious condition. The blocks housing the various wards are of 96 years old, and require immediate attention.”
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