Public Hospital no better than before

Hubby holds the centre-stage during ZP president Manjulas first visit to Bangarpet

On her first visit to Bangarpet since taking charge as the Zilla Panchayat president, Manjula visited various departments in the taluk headquarters on Friday and inspected the conditions there. All through, however, one oddly conspicuous feature of the visit was her husband Venkatesh.

Husband’s day out!

Everywhere the administration team went, onlookers found Venkatesh showing greater initiative at taking the officers to task than the president herself.

Even when the tahsildar C Nagaraj was listening to what the Hospital staff had to say about the conditions in the Hospital, Venkatesh sat next to Nagaraj and directed him on what to do. All officers, other elected representatives and secretaries followed his instructions.

Although initially most onlookers assumed that he was a state-level representative, only later did they learn that he was the Zilla Panchayat president's husband, not any official.

Hoard of troubles

Manjula first went to the government student hostels and took in the problems and inadequacies. Next, she visited the Public Hospital, which had plenty of problems.

BJP activists, who were present at the Hospital complained to the president about the shortfalls. There were only two in-patients. Medicines had to be purchased from stores outside the Hospital, which also lacked emergency stocks of medicines. Hygiene was also a missing feature. There was also shortage of doctors and medical staff. The staff working for the 108 ambulance service, Arogya Kavacha, had not been given any room, they said.

The correspondent, who accompanied the district administration team, found the Hospital surrounded by filth and stench. Only one doctor is kept on duty at night. There are also frequent complaints of doctors and medical staff allotted for the Hospital.

The number of beds in the Hospital was increased from 40 to 100 two years back. Yet, other than staff, the building and other equipment to manage the increase have not been provided to the Hospital.

Despite measures taken to improve- however insufficient- the Hospital has not been able to overcome the deficiency in doctors for most sections. Dejected by the poor condition of the government hospital, patients are now preferring private hospitals for treatment.

Manjula called for the tahsildar and instructed him to take appropriate measures to overcome the inadequacies.

The tahsildar, in turn, called an emergency meeting in the Hospital. He listened to the complaints of the BJP activists and the explanations provided by Dr K A Rajashekhar, the administrative medical officer of the Public Hospital.

The State government has handed over the responsibility of managing the 108 Arogya Kavacha system to a separate agency. Yet, the Zilla Panchayat ordered the staff at the Public Hospital in the town to provide a separate section in the Hospital building to the staff of Arogya Kavacha.

The agency handling the ambulance system brings patients to the Hospital and manages matters like salary and other facilities for the staff.

Space for the ambulance

The Public Hospital has no space to provide even rest room for the staff of Arogya Kavacha. The tahsildar Nagaraj, however, suggested that an unused room in the Hospital could be given for the use of Arogya Kavacha staff, on humanitarian grounds.

About eight months ago, the then tahsildar Dr Dakshayini too had paid a surprise visit to the Public Hospital and complained that Dr Rajashekhar was involved in a scam relating to purchase of medicines upto crores of rupees.

Finance (mis)management

The matter was debated heavily for months before vanishing. Since then, it is only now that the Hospital has come to the fore as a topic of discussion.

The annual collection at the Hospital through various sources is said to be Rs 2.5 lakh, approximately. The money is used to purchase necessary medicines as well as other small expenses- except for medicines granted for the Hospital.

The consent of the Taluk Panchayat executive officer is received and the funds then granted during the general body meeting of the Hospital Maintenance Committee.

The number of accusations relating to finance of the Hospital are therefore only increasing.

Assurance

The BJP activists insisted that Dr Rajashekhar be dismissed immediately. Nagaraj, however, pacified them, explaining that the entire system could not be repaired or replaced right away.

He also requested a month's time for the Hospital to improve its performance. If it failed to provide better facilities, strict action would be proposed against the administration of the Hospital, he assured the activists.

Nagaraj’s words of assurance replenished hopes among the people in Bangarpet that at least he would bring about changes in the conditions in the Public Hospital.

Zilla Panchayat president Manjula's husband Venkatesh, Taluk Panchayat president Teja, vice-president P Amaresh, executive officer Rajanikanth Malle, Zilla Panchayat members Narayanamma, Muthyalamma, C V Krishnappa, Town Municipal Corporation member Shashi Kumar and several BJP activists were present.

Doctors say,
“Yes, Sir!”

The personal assistant to the Zilla Panchayat president, Shivaraj, demanded that all staff at the Public Hospital gather at one place during the president's visit.

He then started marking the attendance and each of the Hospital staff came forward when his or her name was called out, displaying discipline and obedience.

Since they had been brought for the session right in the middle of their work, many had their respective patients tailing them.

The patients and their relatives watched the doctors, educated and trained in cities and working in the rural areas, bow in virtual submission before the elected representatives.
The helpless look on the faces of the doctors and other medical staff, however, gave a feeling of discontent among the patients.