New GGH has no dept. of paediatric surgery

Patients are being referred to hospitals in neighbouring districts

The burns ward in the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada. —

The New Government General Hospital (GGH) in the State capital city has no Paediatric Surgery Department and patients brought here are being referred to hospitals in neighbouring districts.

“The government is making tall claims on providing health to the public and is spending crores of rupees on improving infrastructure in hospitals. But, the fruits are not reaching the poor. The trauma of the family who carried the burns patient (three year-old baby) for about eight hours on Monday in Vijayawada, highlights the poor amenities in government hospitals,” says the baby’s father Md. Shoukat Ali.

No burns ward

at old hospital

In the old GGH there was no burns ward and in the new GGH there is no Paediatric Surgery Department. The capacity of both these hospitals was 1,600 beds, but doctors of the two hospitals refused to admit the baby citing lack of facilities and doctors. Asked why the New GGH management treated an eighth class student, V. Praveen Kumar, who suffered burns at an orphanage home in Kambhampadu village in Krishna district, New GGH Superintendent M. Jaganmohan Rao said the boy was treated as he was around 13 years old. Praveen Kumar died after 14 days, while undergoing treatment in the hospital.

“We will get the patients with different conditions. The age, percentage of injuries and damage of vital organs are important in admitting a patient.

In the baby burns case, due to lack of paediatric surgery facility here we referred the case to Guntur GGH,” Dr Rao clarified.

Family members of the girl questioned how can the doctors treat the boy’s burns case when there was no paediatric ward, and refer a similar case to the neighbouring district hospital.

No ACs in burns ward

Family members of Praveen Kumar said the boy screamed with pain as there was no air-conditioning facility at the burns ward.

“New GGH has female and male burns wards. Government has sanctioned three ACs for the burns wards and they would be installed soon,” the Hospital Superintendent said.