Anantapur GGH plagued with multiple problems
- Total 5,000 outpatients visit the hospital every day while it accommodates 2,000 inpatients
- About 50% of fans and ACs are not functioning at the hospital
Anantapur: Government General Hospital (GGH) in Anantapur has over 2,000 in-patients.
About 5,000 out-patients from local towns, mandals and even Sri Sathya Sai district visit the hospital for treatment every day. Even after division of the district, patients continue to come from Sathya Sai district as the new district does not have a headquarters hospital and so the pressure continues on the doctors and medical staff at the GGH at Anantapu.
The hospital is plagued with multiple problems. Small problems when addressed make a big difference for patients. Fans, lighting and even air-conditioners are very crucial for comfortable running of the hospitals. Fans and air-conditioners particularly in summer are very important for functioning of the hospital. Not only patients, doctors, nurses and clinical laboratories staff need fans and air-conditioners and lighting very much.
If one looks at the long piped fans dangling all over, they are mostly of the British and post-Independence era. Some fans appear to be working but none enjoy the breeze.
That too the height of the ceiling and the fan pipes matching them do not serve any purpose. It is said that 1,000 of the 2,000 fans are not working and 100 of the 200 air-conditioners are not working.
Days are very hot from 9 am itself. Already patients are suffering with cramped patients in wards and the non-functioning of fans and ACs makes things worse. To top it all, all wards are full of patients and visitors making the atmosphere even hotter.
The cries of children enduring suffocation in wards where patients are sweating is making matters worse. When the hospital is faced with financial crunch, they can take the problem to the attention of the District Collector as he can as chairman of the hospital development committee release funds for the same. There are also other funds that come to the hospital from the health budget.
The hospital superintendent has the responsibility to go for a comprehensive survey of the short-term and long-term financial problems and prioritise them besides tapping Central and State sources under the national health mission etc.
Hospital administrator Mallikarjun told The Hans India that a report has already been sent to the APMIDC engineers who take care of hospitals maintenance. Soon fans will be repaired or replaced with new ones, he assured.
