The hospital, which is the life-line of thousands of poor people in the district, is badly in need of attention by the authorities concerned.
Though a police case was registered about the missing baby, nothing has come out so far. The hospital authorities were pulled up by the District Health Officer and Superintendent of Police.
However, the hospital staff say they were busy attending to patients as there were 19 delivery cases on that particular day. “There is no question of negligence. The incident has hurt us too,” said resident health officer of the hospital Dr Rangaswamy. Now, the security at the labour ward has been tightened.
The hospital, which was started 60 years ago with 250 beds, now boasts of 400 beds. As many as 600 to 800 people visit the hospital as outpatients and 30 to 40 get admitted for higher treatment everyday. On an average there will be 230 to 250 patients in the hospital everyday.
Around 8 to 10 surgeries and 10 to 15 deliveries take place at the hospital everyday.
No CT scanning
Though CT scanning facility was sanctioned six years ago the hospital is yet to get the facility. The Health Department has not supplied the equipment till date. A Trauma Care Centre has been sanctioned and efforts are on to build the Centre at a cost of Rs 66 lakh.
Staff shortage
The hospital faces severe shortage of staff. The number of staff has not gone up with the increasing number of patients and beds.
At present there are 26 doctors and 75 nurses at the hospital. Out of them three doctors have been transferred.
There are widespread complaints of bribe here. The menace is rampant at the labour ward. The staff demand at least Rs 500 for a normal delivery and Rs 1,000 for a caesarean delivery. They even demand an extra Rs 500 if the newborn is a boy.
Another common complaint against the hospital is the re-usage of syringes. However, Dr Rangaswamy denies all such charges. “If the patients give a written complaint on bribe we can take action against the culprits.
Every year medicines worth Rs 80 lakh are supplied to the government. Hence, there is no scope for re-usage of syringes,” he says.
