Shortcomings at dist hospital leave minister red-faced

Health Minister Ramesh Kumar asks staff to pull up socks

“I have received complaints galore from the people about the shortcomings at district hospital. People are prefer to get treated at private hospitals because you do not discharge your duties properly. Because of your laxity, people have lost faith in the government hospital. Why should you be paid for doing nothing,” this is how Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar took the doctors and paramedic staff during his surprise visit to district hospital here on Thursday.

The shortcoming in service and facility at the district hospital left the minister red-faced.
The minister, after a while regained his composure and said, “I am not here to punish you. I am just trying to remind your responsibility. If you face any problem, tells us about the same. The government will resolve your problems.”

The minister reviewed facilities at general ward, pediatrics department, emergency ward, dialysis, orthopedics department during his visit. Ramesh Kumar obtained information about the facilities and the shortcomings in the hospital from District Surgeon Dr Eshwaraiah.

When a patient named Hayath Bi, who has sustained fracture in leg, poured out her woes to the minister, he ordered to arrange for ambulance and shift her to Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru.

The minister told the ayahas/ward boys to accept money given by the parents or relatives of the newborn but not to harass the relatives for the money as everbody cannot afford to pay, he said.

Speaking to reporters later in the day, the minister said that he made surprise visit to district hospital following several complaints about the shortcoming in the service and facility in the hospital.

The minister said that he had ordred the hospital authorities to increase two-bed-facility at PICU in pediatrics department to eight-bed facility.

“There is shortage of doctors in dialysis department. Only one doctor is functioning currently while the sanctioned posts of the said department is eight. I have ordered the district surgeon to appoint doctors on contract basis,” the minister said.

The minister said that as the national highway passes through the city and accident-related cases are high, steps would be taken to set up CT scan centre in the hospital.

District Surgeon Dr Eshwaraiah, District Health Officer Dr N Shashikala and staff were present.