A sleep laboratory will be established in King George Hospital, the teaching hospital of Andhra Medical College, here to cure those suffering from severe snoring, Principal Secretary (Health) Poonam Malakondaiah has said.
This would be the second in the country, after the one in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ms. Malakondaiah said during an inspection of the KGH on Saturday.
She also made it clear that government doctors cannot visit private clinics and hospitals while on duty at government hospitals and warned of severe action against those violating the rule.
The biometric system of attendance was showing good results, but some were still avoiding work at government hospitals during duty hours, she said, and added that action would be taken against them.
She said that with more facilities and modern equipment and better service made available at government hospitals, the number of patients visiting them increased. Problems also increased, but the government was trying to provide the best care to the patients with the existing staff and infrastructure.
“Doctors, paramedical staff, and others working in government hospitals must understand that it is the taxpayers’ money that is being spent on the hospitals and provide the best possible service to patients,” Ms. Malakondaiah said.
Private hospitals treating patients under NTR Vaidya Seva must have all the required infrastructure and facilities, and if they were found wanting in this aspect they would be removed from the list of hospitals under the scheme, she said.
DME N. Subba Rao and Superintendent of KGH G. Arjuna accompanied her.
