OGH overcrowded as patients rue poor infra

Hyderabad: Patients at the Osmania General Hospital are a concerned lot, as besides being unwell, they have to put up with a lack of beds, sometimes sleeping on the floor, and unhygienic conditions at the general ward on the
fourth floor of the popular government-run facility.

A makeshift DVL (dermatology, venereology and leprosy) ward for males, with a fabricated ceiling, comprises 300 beds in a single hall and lacks adequate facilities for those needing dialysis, suffering from paralysis or other
treatments that require admission.

The beds are lined up to the wall with IV lines running from the centre of the room, giving little space for patients to rest comfortably. Motilal, an Old City resident, said, “I was admitted for treatment of sugar (diabetes) five days ago. I feel  fortunate to have gotten a bed upon my admission. I see patients sleeping on the floor due to a huge shortage of beds.”

Regular visitors to the hospital said the facility was becoming crowded and called for increasing the number of beds. “We don’t have the option to get treated in private hospitals. We urge the government to provide better facilities and increase the beds in this hospital so that we are able to avail of treatment in a better and more humane way,” said Manoj R., a patient.

Aruna K., whose husband was admitted to the hospital last week due to paralysis, said she was asked to take the patient home as they had been occupying a bed for a week now. “We have been asked to take the patient home as they don’t have enough beds. Doctors said that the patient is better now and can be treated at home. But I am not  convinced and I wish I could keep him here for few more days,” said Aruna. Attendants accompanying the ill said that given the poor conditions for patients, the facilities for them are much worse, with unclean toilets and washrooms the sticking point for many.

Kaniza Fatima, of Karwan, who regularly accompanies her father, Khaja Moinuddin for dialysis, said it was difficult for women to adjust in such conditions, as she had to stay at the hospital for four to five days in a row.

Fatima said, “The treatment is good and even the  doctors and nurses treat patients well. However, the condition of toilets is horrible. Doors are broken and taps are not working. Cleanliness is not maintained. Only we know how
we manage our stay here.”

Officials said that a proposal had been made to the government to increase the number of beds in the hospital and it was acknowledged by the government. However, there was no specific time frame as to when the provisions  would be made to facilitate the wards.

OGH superintendent Dr B. Nagendar speaking to Deccan Chronicle, said, “There is a need for more space and of a new building as the number of patients has been increasing significantly. After the old building was closed in
2019, we set up many wards, operation theatres and also added beds which we have expanded from 500 to 1092 presently in the hospital.”

“There is huge demand from the patients for the Osmania hospital due to the medical services given and also being a government hospital, people prefer coming  here despite the space crunch and we cannot reject any admissions even due to lack of beds. So we are finding possible ways to adjust the beds and accommodate patients coming in the hospital.”

Dr Nagendar said that review was underway in three buildings of GHMC, OP and QQDC to see where more space could be made and beds can be arranged to meet the demands of growing
patients.