Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar, a medical professional by education, conducted a surprise inspection of Ruia Hospital, assessing the quality of medical services and interacting with patients. Expressing dissatisfaction over lapses in hospital management, he directed the officials to implement immediate reforms to enhance healthcare services for underprivileged and improve overall operational efficiency.

On Friday, the Collector visited multiple wards and departments, reviewing medical services, infrastructure, sanitation and availability of essential amenities such as fans, air conditioning, and restrooms. He issued on-the-spot instructions for necessary improvements.

During his inspection of casualty and emergency wards, Dr Venkateswar noted a shortage of ICU beds and instructed officials to arrange for 40 additional beds. He also expressed concern over inadequate sanitation staffing, with only 89 workers available out of the required 120 in the morning shift. He directed immediate recruitment and deployment to address the gap.

The Collector emphasised the importance of patient privacy, instructing that emergency ward beds be enclosed with curtains on all sides. He also mandated better seating arrangements for staff and optimisation of bed placements to accommodate more patients.

He instructed pharmacy staff and administrators to ensure timely procurement of essential medicines. He ordered that unavailable drugs be sourced locally and a list of missing medications be compiled within 24 hours. Concerned about the lack of electrolyte testing for patients, he directed officials to expedite the installation of an auto-analyser machine and repair three serum electrolyte testing machines at the earliest.

To improve navigation within the hospital, the Collector ordered installation of clear glow signboards for OP departments. He also noted poor lighting in OP and emergency areas and mandated adequate illumination within a week.

Dr Venkateswar set a one-month deadline for implementing the e-Hospital lab information system, ensuring digital generation of lab reports. Additionally, he instructed that MRI and CT scan reports be provided to patients on the same day of testing. Reviewing the Central Drug Store and the new City Diagnostic Centre, he directed that all pending work be completed by March 15 for inauguration.

Ruia Hospital Superintendent Dr G Ravi Prabhu, DM&HO Dr Balaji Naik, SV Medical College Principal Dr PA Chandrasekharan, CSRMO Dr Subbalakshmamma, ARMO Dr Hari Krishna, APMIDC Engineer Sivaram Reddy, and other key officials were present.