Problems plague Ruia children’s hospital

Problems plague Ruia children’s hospital
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Highlights

The children’s hospital at SVR Ruia Government General Hospital here is plagued by many problems. The hospital is looking for some essential equipment like ventilators, monitors and X-ray machines. It is having most experienced doctors to look after the 100 plus out-patients and 200 plus in-patients per day. The ICU is in dire need of air-conditioners, patient monitors and ventilators to admit pa

Tirupati: The children’s hospital at SVR Ruia Government General Hospital here is plagued by many problems. The hospital is looking for some essential equipment like ventilators, monitors and X-ray machines. It is having most experienced doctors to look after the 100 plus out-patients and 200 plus in-patients per day. The ICU is in dire need of air-conditioners, patient monitors and ventilators to admit patients in case of emergency.

The fact is that only 4 out of 11 ventilators are partially working in the hospital which admits patients from the districts of Rayalaseema and Nellore as well. There were 40 to 50 patient monitors in the hospital but only 10 per cent are working which puts extra burden on the doctors as it takes much time to monitor patients manually.

In the given time, any doctor can handle very less number of cases manually compared with monitors. Most of the air-conditioners are not working. Even those under warranty period were not working and the hospital authorities were not having receipts of the warranty cards with them, sources said.

Established in the year 2003, the Ruia hospital was strengthened by most advanced equipment by 2005. The doctors were saying that the life of any equipment is for 7 years. Even after 12 years, they are using the same machines which are causing serious problems.

They are saying that all the equipment that came in 2005 need to be replaced totally. No company will take them even for refurbishment as they were in irreparable condition. If any child needs to undergo an X-ray they must take that patient to a far-off place for the purpose.

There is an urgent need of an X-ray in the hospital. Though they got the mobile X-ray unit they could not find a prescribed room for it in the hospital building fulfilling the required norms. Though they identified a room, the proposal was rejected as it could not meet the safety requirements from radiation effect.

The hospital is having Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) which was established in 2014 which was the only hospital in AP having the National Neonatology Forum (NNF) accreditation. It was supported with good equipment too.

SNCU was supposed to provide services to 20 patients only but they are catering services four times higher, said the unit in-charge Dr AS Kireeti. Without this unit, the problem would be even grimmer. The Head of the Pediatrics department Dr P Ravi Kumar told The Hans India that they wrote to the authorities for the required equipment.

Regarding air-conditioners, he said that some air-conditioners were got repaired by allocating the money from some other head. The hospital requires photo therapy units to screen patients affected with jaundice. He made it clear that they are taking every care as far as patients are concerned.

He opined that if bio-medical engineers are appointed then they can look after the equipment maintenance. By doing so, equipment worth crores of rupees can be protected and make them functional which will be of great use to patients.

By V Pradeep Kumar

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