Elective surgeries under three departments at Osmania General Hospital (OGH) are not being performed for nearly a month. Elective surgeries are non-emergency procedures, but the condition of patients can worsen if the health complication is left unattended.
As Gandhi Hospital, another government tertiary care centre in the State, has been converted into a COVID-19 centre, thousands of non-COVID patients rely on OGH for the surgeries which are now on hold. The result? People belonging to poor backgrounds either have to wait indefinitely for the elective surgeries to resume or have to rely on the option of shelling out big bucks for private hospital treatment.
“We have no other way but to note down their details, counsel them, and ask them to come after some weeks. Resolving this issue is important for the welfare of hundreds of poor patients,” sources in the hospital said.
Doctors’ representation
Underscoring the crucial role of OGH in this pandemic, junior doctors from the hospital have requested OGH Superintendent and senior officials of Health department to provide alternative elective operation theatres (OTs) until permanent OTs are arranged. In a representation submitted to the officials on Tuesday, they have requested for central oxygen lines, and basic resources such as roller bandages, intubation tray, more rooms for the doctors attending duties.
The problem began after the 102-year in-patient (IP) block had to be closed following rainwater flooding on July 15. The hospital has three blocks — the IP block, out-patient (OP) block and Quli Qutb Shah block. At least three OTs were functioning in the IP block. Elective surgeries under departments of Orthopaedics, General Surgery and Surgical Gastroenterology were performed in the OTs.
After the flooding, orders were issued to vacate the building. OTs were shifted from there nearly three days after the incident. “Though emergency surgeries under the three departments are performed in the OTs in OP block, the elective surgeries have been on hold since July 20,” sources said.
People in need of elective surgeries related to bones, varicose veins, removal of tumours from stomach or breasts, hernia, and other surgeries are taken up by the three departments. “All of them are on hold now,” doctors said.
In the representation, they have mentioned about lack of oxygen central lines in Emergency OT.
“Currently oxygen cylinders are used there. If a patient under surgery is in need of more oxygen, the pressure of oxygen can be adjusted if oxygen central lines are provided. This option is not available in oxygen cylinders,” sources said.
Non-functional oxygen ports, monitors, ventilators in casualty and other sections of the hospital has been mentioned in their representation.
The junior doctors have also said the rooms provided to them to take rest are cramped. “When we have a 24-hour shift, we get one or two hours of sleep. But we cannot relax due to want of space, and there are mosquitoes too. There is only one washroom in the lone female PG students’ Duty Doctors Room. To get some comfort, some of our colleagues take rest in their cars,” a postgraduate student said.
Superintendent says
OGH Superintendent B. Nagender, who resumed work two weeks ago after recovering from COVID-19, enquired about the issues with the junior doctors and nurses on Tuesday. Regarding the elective OTs, he said a temporary facility will be provided in seven to 10 days until permanent OTs are arranged.
A committee comprising three senior doctors was formed to identify issues at the hospital and to improve patient care. “The committee’s report has been received. We will start taking action. We have provided a phone number to the junior doctors and asked them to alert us whenever there are issues with patient care,” Dr Nagender said.
