At an interaction organised as part of The Hindu ’s #WhatsYourIssue campaign on Saturday, citizens and healthcare professionals chalked out the health concerns faced by residents of the city.
Public health doctor Sylvia Karpagam said there was very little accountability in the healthcare sector. “Caesareans have become the norm and there are villages in Karnataka where women are made to undergo hysterectomies without medical reason,” said Dr. Karpagam.
Roopa who works with the Mahila Arogya Samiti, under the National Urban Health Mission, said that often when patients went to smaller government hospitals, there would be no doctors available. “A woman in labour who had gone to a government maternity hospital in Magadi Road was asked to got to Vani Vilas Hospital instead. I had to take her in an autorickshaw as there was no ambulance,” she said.
Her view was countered by Santosh Saklecha, managing director of Santosh Hospital, who said the primary reason doctors were hesitant to work in government hospitals was the low pay. Transgender activist Gee Imaan S. said that transgenders faced many difficulties accessing healthcare in prisons, where doctors would be ill-equipped to deal with their specific needs.
‘Sewage being dumped’
A resident of HRBR Layout, Banaswadi, Arpuda Rajan alleged that a private agent was dumping truckloads of sewage into a canal in the locality once every week. “It has become difficult for residents to live there because of the smell; many are having skin problems. Our complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” said Mr. Rajan. The problem of excessive noise pollution because of more restaurants coming up in residential areas was also discussed.
The discussion then moved to the steps needed to combat the spread of vector-borne diseases. Syed Moinuddin, director, Alleviate Healthcare, said that citizens could be more proactive in preventing black spots which can become breeding areas for mosquitoes. “If we give wet and dry waste on the same day, it gets bundled into one truck. If residents decide to give dry waste only once a week, this could be avoided,” he suggested.
Doctors receive just Rs. 58 for a consultation in government hospitals, if this amount was at least doubled, more doctors would come forward to work there.
- Santosh Saklecha, managing director of Santosh Hospitals
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Many are unaware of government schemes, and even if they know, they are not able to access them as they do not have BPL cards.
- Prabhanand Hegde, Centre for Advocacy and Research
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Government hospitals can become centres of excellence if managed well.
- Arpuda Rajan, resident of Banaswadi
There is very little accountability in healthcare sector, say experts
Interaction
‘It’s not a choice’ | page 4
