Bedside help at hand in government hospitals now

Hyderabad: Osmania General Hospital (OGH) has partnered with the city-based NGO, Helping Hand Foundation, to launch a first-of-its-kind bedside assistance programme for senior citizens and unattended patients. The services will be provided by Arogya Dhoots under Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA).

Nearly 20 Arogya Dhoots, out of the batch of 40, have already been deployed at Osmania General Hospital (14), MNJ Cancer Hospital (2) and Govt Maternity Hospital (4) at Petla Burj by Helping Hand Foundation for bedside assistance program. With 70 to 80 per cent of in-patients are from weaker sections and daily wagers, bedside assistance always remained a challenge, especially for elderly men and women in state-run hospitals. Further, most daily wagers find it a challenge to attend to their family members admitted in the hospital, as they have to work to make a living. The bedside care program launched by Helping Hand Foundation at OGH is turning out as a boon for such patients.

The Arogya Dhoots are now providing myriad services to patients in IP wards right from feeding, bed making, face washing, nail care, scalp & hair care, body bathing, wound cleaning and dressing etc. Diapers, shirts, walkers and other necessary items are also being provided by HHF to the needy on a regular basis at OGH. Arogya Dhoots are also lending support in three areas namely, Minor OT, where daily 60 to 75 patients are treated for wounds, injuries, cellulites, gangrene foot and ulcers, and at other post surgical wards in OGH where patients need to be provided with bedside care. Unknown and abandoned cases with maggot wounds and injuries are also being attended by the Arogya Dhoots.

OGH Superintendent, Dr B Nagender said that such personalised care for elderly patients is being provided for the first time in history and that it is a gratifying experience for the hospital, patients and the caregivers. Since the program launch, 20 to 25 unattended patients per day are getting benefitted. “Such personalised care is akin to what the matured health care systems like the NHS of UK and others provide to their senior citizens, and we are sure that with the support of the government our program can be scaled up further,” said Mujtaba Hasan Askari of Helping Hand Foundation.