Poor patients jostle for beds in govt hospital

2 persons per bed, long wait list in ICU

The guard came inside the female medicine ward with a patient on a stretcher and started shouting “Ek pe teen, ek pe teen (three on one, three on one)”.

He left the patient with her husband. Rajani, a resident of a slum cluster in Bhimnagar, could not even walk on her own. She sat on the ground expecting to be accommodated on a bed, where two patients were already vying for space. On just six beds alloted for the ward, there were 12 patients.

This is the common scene at both male and female medicine wards at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital (SGMH), a 250-bed secondary care hospital of Delhi government in north Delhi.

According to the state government, it is supposed to cater to slum clusters in Nangloi, Sultan Puri and Mangolpuri — at least 10 lakh people. This coverage was planned under a special component plan for Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes.

The constant shortage of beds in the hospital, especially in the medicine department, make a comfortable stay in the hospital a far cry.

“The department of medicine has the maximum pressure everywhere as all those who are not admitted for specialised care, like for heart surgery or neuro surgery, are admitted under medicine,” said Dr Richa Dewan, head of medicine and medical superintendent, Lok Nayak Hospital.

In SGMH, more reasons are added for the shortage.

“We are in a rehabilitation area and cater to the poor population in Delhi. Nearby government hospitals show a lot of resistance in admitting patients. They directly refer patients to other government hospitals, so the patients come here. Even if we want to send poor patients to private hospitals under economically weaker section category, it is tough because the government does not give them Below Poverty Line ration cards.

Patients say they get these cards only before elections,” said a senior resident of medicine, SGMH.

The doctors said the wards of other departments keep only post-surgery cases, increasing the burden on medicine. “Some of our patients need to go to the intensive care unit, but all the six beds are occupied most of the time,” the doctor added.

Shyama Devi, 53, has been in the hospital for 10 days for breathlessness and heart problem. Two days ago, a doctor referred her to the ICU. But the family is in the long waiting list.

“We can’t take her to a private hospital as they are costly. I think we’ll just wait and hope that she gets fine instead of dying,” said Devi’s daughter-in-law. The family lives in Patthar Market, a nearby slum cluster.

They were unable to go to Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital due to lack of convenient public transport.

“A year ago we took a decision to upgrade the hospital to 500 beds. But that will take at least two more years,” said Dr Puneeta Mahajan, medical superintendent, SGMH.

However, patients and their attendants are satisfied with the food provided by the hospital canteen free of cost. The breakfast includes an egg and a glass of milk or tea for patients. Lunch and dinner comprise of rice, vegetable, dal and rotis.

But patients complained of non-availability of blankets in this chilly weather. “I am here for the last four days. No blanket has been given to me though I was told that I will get one soon,” said Munesh Kumari from Mangolpuri.