No beds for nursing mothers,infants in RIMS Hospital

Adilabad: In violation of all norms, nursing mothers and newborns are forced to sleep on the floor in the RIMS Hospital here on account of non-availability of beds. With the mothers and infants being forced to sleep on the floor, they are exposed to infections.

Among the suffering women is Lakshmi of Kamatala in Bheempur mandal who delivered a girl 15 days ago. She came to the hospital with the infant suffering from breathing problems.

Even though she had been staying as in-patient for 15 days, no bed has been allotted to her, as also for the girl. She is forcibly sleeping in a congested small room, putting up with extreme hardship. Her request for bed after undergoing a Cesarean operation fell on deaf ears.

Similar is the fate of Rukmabai, a Girijan of Loddhiguda who gave birth to a baby boy. She got admitted in the children’s wing because of his ill-health. After being forced to lie on the floor, she has developed pain in the lower back. She grumbled that children are getting afflicted with infectious diseases as they are made to sleep on the floor.

Renuka of Darlodhi village in Adilabad mandal too delivered a boy 20 days back. As he is sick, she has been staying in the children’s wing. She and the infant have no beds. Renuka is being forced to sleep in the veranda.

She told The Hans India that her plea for bed to officials has been ignored. There is not even a fan in the room, she said.

When The Hans India brought the issue of non-allotment of beds to the notice of RIMS Director Ashok, he admitted that it was a mistake.

He assured the suffering women that action will be taken against the ‘negligent’ officials who failed to provide beds to the needy patients, that too when the government is providing incentives to lactating mothers.

Such action of the officials calls for punishment, pointed out women’s leader Nalini Reddy. She warned of taking up an agitation if no action is taken against the officials concerned.