Birur hospital lacks doctors, nurses, basic facilities

It was unearthed when Town Municipality President Shashidhar and team conducted a surprise visit that some hospital staff are demanding money from the patients to get a bed.
Patients here have to buy all medicines from outside. Mosquito menace has increased in the hospital as all fans in the ward are defunct. Hospital staff had cleaned all toilets before the inspection team arrived as they were tipped off about the surprise visit, patients alleged.

“The hospital authorities had demanded money for bed when Lakshmana, a patient from Shriramapur, was admitted here,” alleged villager Ranganath. Umesh, a patient from Jodithimmapura, explaining the pathetic condition of hospital said that he was asked to purchase all medicines from outside. Deviramma of Bovi Colony in Birur, who was hospitalised for appendectomy, complained that the hospital gives treatment only if patients pay them.

Meanwhile, doctors blame the government for non-availability of medicines. “The hospital has only 50 beds. However, hundreds of patients throng the hospital for treatment from Kadur, Tarikere and Hosadurga taluks. Since the medicine allotment is lesser than the actual requirement, patients were forced to buy medicines from outside,” a doctor said.
While, the hospital requires 7 doctors, only five were posted. Since two of them were transferred recently, the burden will increase further.

Town Municipality former President M P Dayanand, Standing Committee President Rudrappa, Members Kumaraswamy, Prakash, Ravichandra and Vinayakumar were present.