Pregnant women were denied medical treatment at the 350-bedded Government Headquarters Hospital here on Wednesday due to non-availability of lady doctors.
The women, who had come from far flung places for consultation, were forced to return to their villages without any medical assistance. The patients formed serpentine queues at the out-patient ward to see the doctor, but no doctor arrived until 2 p.m. and the para-medical staff told patients that the doctors were on leave.
Para-medics treat patients
The patients admitted into the maternity ward for delivery were being treated by the nurses and other para-medical staff. When
the patients learned about the non-availability of lady doctors, they vacated their beds and proceeded to Warangal MGM Hospital. Some of the patients went to private hospitals for treatment.
Rajitha, hailing from Dharmaram village, the lone patient in the maternity ward, said that she was waiting for her relatives to arrive so that she could go to Warangal as her expected date of delivery was September 26.
“I came here for delivery, but the hospital staff said that the doctors were not available as they were on leave”, she complained.
“I am eight-month pregnant and the doctors asked me to come for medical check up as there was no movement of baby. To my surprise there is no lady doctor available. I am going back to my village,” wailed D. Swaroopa of Maddikunta village in Peddapalli mandal.
Doctors on leave
When contacted, DCHS Ashok Kumar said that the Superintendent Suhasini, who is also a civil surgeon, was in New Delhi undergoing training. Another lady doctor was on medical leave and a third doctor complained of high fever.
He said that they were looking for alternatives and hope to rope in lady doctors from Peddapalli Area Hospital to provide treatment to the patients at the Government Hospital here.
