Admitting that there are a number of issues, including poor sanitation, impeding the operations of the King George Hospital, District Collector and Chairman of Hospital Development Society V. Seshadri said that steps would be taken to remedy them.
The issues that could be addressed at the HDS level would be cleared at the earliest and those that require clearance at the State government level would be regularly followed up, he told the media here on Monday.
Early in the day, the Collector went on a surprise visit to the hospital and went around the wards accompanied by Hospital Superintendent Madhusudhan Babu. He visited the oncology, gynaecology, radiology, paediatric and acute medical care wards and inspected the facilities there. He also interacted with doctors and patients in the wards.
The Hospital Superintendent said that the ministerial staff had been downsized from 200 to 90 and the task was being outsourced, however, even the contract workers were starting their work after 9 in the morning.
The outpatient and inpatient registration and maintenance of records could be computerised for better functioning of the hospital, he noted. None of the lifts was working in the hospital and the patients have to be carried up the stairs, he added.
Shortage of beds
The cobalt treatment plant at the KGH was dysfunctional because it was yet to receive the clearance from BARC, the Collector said. “There is a shortage of beds and there is a dire need for expansion of the facilities, for example there are 200 children admitted whereas there are only 60 beds in the paediatric ward,” he said.
The Collector asked the KGH Superintendent to hold a meeting with all the heads of departments and draw up a list of issues and requirements and promised that whatever could be sorted out at the HDS level would be immediately addressed and other issues would be followed up with the State government.
