“It's three and half hours of torture. By the time I reach the bus stand at 12.30 p.m. my energy is completely sapped. This has been the case for the last three years. Nothing much has changed and they don't even consider our age,” says K. Ramakrishna, a retired employee from AG office and a regular at the outpatient of Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
The reputation and perception of NIMS hospital among patients, its medical services and its standing as a premier hospital in the State capital is steadily on the decline. A mere visit to the hospital's outpatient wing, which receives on an average 1,200 patients per day, is all it takes to realise the ‘decay' that has taken root.
“It takes at least two hours to meet a doctor. Another hour to collect medical reports, buy medicines and come out. I have never seen a senior doctor attending to patients between 9 a.m. and 12 noon. Only the junior doctors are available. It's a pity that NIMS is losing its sheen. The management is not at all innovative and practical,” says P. Niranjan, a patient at the outpatient wing. A nudge is enough to make patients speak about their frustration on outpatient facilities. “At least they should provide a lobby for us to sit and wait for our turn. The environment is messy. They don't maintain urinals, there is no public address system, display boards, safe drinking water and functioning fans. And yet, they charge Rs.300 for an outpatient ticket for evening clinics,” says Ranga Rao, an evening clinic patient.
“Why are the senior doctors only available during evening clinics? There is no need for long queues in front of the doctor's chamber. They have to innovate and plan a good system. It takes four hours for a patient to get treatment at the outpatient wing,” is a common refrain among patients.
NIMS hospital, traditionally, attracts large number of senior citizens who are beneficiaries of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). “They should come up with special days or timings for senior citizens and women. The hospital is simply running on its past goodwill and I wonder how long this will continue? The outpatient wing should be infection free and somebody in the management should be held accountable for mismanagement,” complains C. V. S Achary, a CGHS beneficiary.
