Telangana: Neonatal Deaths in Tandur Dist Hospital Are Very High, Says CAG Report

Hyderabad: The Vikarabad district hospital at Tandur has an alarming number of neonatal deaths with 36 reported in 2022-23, says the CAG report that was tabled in the Legislative Assembly here on Friday.

While the numbers have reduced consistently from the 99 neonatal deaths in 2017-18, the report specifies the need for investigation into the high neonatal fatalities.

“The number of neonatal deaths in DH at Tandur was very high and the government needs to investigate the specific reasons for such a high incidence of Neonatal deaths,” the report mentions.

The hospital is also facing a heavy shortage of staff and infrastructure, with about 61 per cent vacancies for doctors, 49 per cent for nurses and 64 per cent for pharmaceuticals. It does not even have specialised units for gynaecology, trauma and ENT services, the report points out.

Despite these shortfalls, doctors see a large patient load with 16,673 OPD patients per doctor per annum.

OPD services for obstetrics and gynaecology (OBG) and paediatric (PD) are presently delivered through the MCHC (Mother and Child Health Centre) in the district.

There is no specific operation theatre for cardiac, gynaec and trauma care. It is without any functional equipment, while the government’s response to the same was that the cost of repairing the equipment would be around 50 per cent of the equipment cost, hence, they would rather go for new equipment.

Meanwhile, the district coordinator for health services, Tandur, Dr. Pradeep Kumar denied the claims in the report.

“The hospital is located in a remote area bordering Karnataka but it is functioning very well. The MCH here ranks among the best with around 458 deliveries being done on an everyday average,” Dr. Pradeep Kumar pointed out.

He said that the hospital’s 25 doctors attend to 800-1000 OPD patients every day.

“The MCH also takes referrals from private hospitals. Even terminally ill patients are sent here and hence the high number of deaths that are shown in the report,” he added.

He said that the equipment is functioning well. While trauma patients are extended services in the hospital, having cardiac OTs are not possible in any district hospital, he said.

DH Tandur neonatal deaths:

2016-17: 114

2017-18: 99

2018-19: 73

2019-20: 49

2020-21: 41

2021-22: 38

2022-23: 36

(Source: CAG report)