JOIN USShimoga hospital is in a mess: Minister
All these and more everyday realities came to light when Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas visited McGann General Hospital in Shimoga on Friday. The Minister told mediapersons in Bangalore on Saturday that chaos reigns at McGann Hospital, with the director Dr Shankare Gowda himself being appointed on an ad hoc basis and not working as per the rules. Jayashri, wife of Jagannath, delivered a baby on April 8. Dr Vijayalakshmi and three nurses attended on her. She was discharged from the hospital without the infant even being cleaned.
Jayashri later went to a private nursing home to get further medical care for herself and the baby, which cost her Rs 6,000. The Minister directed Dr Vijayalakshmi to reimburse Rs 6,000 to Jayashri.
The Minister said doctors refused to operate on HIV positive patients in the hospital. Vasantha, who runs Vasukirana, an NGO in Shimoga, said that she had sent to the hospital at least three HIV positive patients who needed surgery. “The doctors gave some or the other excuse to turn the patients away. Even medicines are not available at the hospital,” she said.
Patients lying on floor
Ramdas said he found 56 patients lying on the floor. “After a warning, the hospital bought 56 cots in a matter of just a few hours,” he said. Hospital Director H S Shankare Gowda has never stepped into the maternity wards after his appointment two-and-half years ago. A show cause notice will be issued to him, he added.
Ramdas said McGann Hospital was the first among the teaching hospitals in the State to get biometric attendance machine. “The staff ensure that they enter and leave the hospital at the stipulated hours. But between the working hours, they are not found at the workplace,” he said.
As many as 14 doctors were not in the hospital or the medical college attached to it on Friday. Similar irregularities were committed by paramedical staff too, he said.
Ramdas said doctors in government teaching hospitals would be directed to maintain a diary in which they have to make entries about their daily work. He said at present doctors at teaching hospitals were not taking classes for graduation and post-graduation students who intern with the hospitals. The doctors take up private practice.
Monthly diary
“A circular is being issued to all hospitals mandating doctors to submit their monthly diary indicating the time they spent at outpatient department, operation theatre and classroom. Doctors and students will have to jointly sign the diary. A judicial inquiry into the functioning of Mandya Medical College established that doctors are not discharging their duties properly. Similar inquiry will be carried out in case of the Shimoga college,” the Minister said.