MGM hospital in Telangana lacks ventilators

Warangal: Shortage of ventilators in the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) hospital, the only big government hospital in North Telangana, is resulting in delayed treatment to the patients. 

The Telangana government which promised super speciality services in government hospitals has failed to provide the required manpower and infrastructure for lifesavers. 

The 1000-bedded hospital currently has 17 machines in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU). Out of these, seven are beyond repair and only 10 are functional. Two or three are always under repair due to the wear and tear caused by continuous usage and only seven or eight are regularly available for treatment. As a result, the patients who are in need of the ventilators are asked to wait for their turn. Unable to wait, they are left with no other option but to approach private hospitals. Ventilator facility in private hospitals costs a fortune which the poor people cannot bear. 

However, it is learnt that a RICU was not at all sanctioned for the hospital. The RICU set up in the hospital received these ventilators from the local MP funds. 

However, there are no biomedical engineers to keep the facility running nor is there the required infrastructure. 

The state has recently sanctioned 65 ventilator units for the Gandhi Medical College.

Head of Anesthesia Department at the MGM, Dr Srinivas Rao said there is a need for more facilities in the hospital for critical care. 

He said they have sent proposals to the government to provide the required equipment for the RICU. 

“We need at least 20 units to meet the demand in the hospital. After new districts are created in the state, new hospitals are being set up in new district headquarters. By providing ventilators in these hospitals, the burden on MGM hospital is expected to reduce. A new super speciality building is also under construction, which will be ready in another six months. This will give us the infrastructure to set up trauma centres,” he said.