District hospital ailing

People who went to distribute fruits and milk to patients in  the District Hospital sat on a dharna against appaling conditions in the public health facility here on Monday.

Farmer leader Yaluvalli Ramesh and his supporters were in the district hospital to distribute milk and fruits to the patients to mark the birthday of Adichunchanagiri mutt seer, Balagangadaranatha swamiji.

Nauseating smell welcomed them as soon as they entered the hospital.  The patients sought water from them instead of fruits and milk. They requested the visitors to get opened the locked toilets and ensure water supply.

Patients complain

Upon coming to know of the pathetic plight in the hospital, Ramesh and his supporters inquired the hospital authorities, who however failed to give a convincing reply.

Some staff members said that two tankers of water is supplied to the hospital every day with which it was impossible to carry out all the tasks.

The patients said that they have been constrained to use bottled water for ablution purposes and that no one has steps to set-right the problem. The visitors later sat on a dharna demanding authorities to provide amenities at the hospital. District Health and Family Welfare officer Dr Rajeev who arrived at the spot said that requisite water is being supplied.

However, he had no satisfactory answer for locking the toilets and the stench in the ward. He had no answers on laxity in maintaining ambulances, but claimed that he was not responsible for all the ills plaguing the hospital.

He pointed fingers towards Assistant Medical Officer and District Health Officer.
The protesters were irritated by the answers and insisted that Deputy Commissioner should come to the spot. DC Anwar Pasha rushed to the hospital and succeeded in pacifying the protesters, who withdrew the dharna on the basis of the assurances given by the DC.

The DC later took stock of the situation in the hospital by interacting with the patients. The patients said that they could have access to facilities only through middlemen.
The DC took District Health and Family Welfare officer to task for the inadequacies in the hospital. He instructed him to leave the hospital management to someone else. He said that a meeting would be called in the evening to seek solution.

Former Taluk Panchayat president Dr G R Gopala Reddy, former MLA S M Muniyappa and others were present.