Staff, officers pulled up for lapses, lack of hygiene

Mysore/Mysuru: Upa Lokayukta K.N. Phaneendra conducted a surprise visit to K.R. Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospital yesterday and expressed his dissatisfaction with the authorities regarding the substandard maintenance, lack of hygiene and inefficient utilisation of resources.

Inspecting the Surgical Block (Stone Building) that is being renovated, Emergency Ward and Children’s Block, the Upa Lokayukta took to task the hospital authorities for neglecting the accumulation of garbage, food remnants, plastic water bottles and other waste within the premises, emphasising the need for cleanliness not only inside the hospitals but also in the surrounding areas.

He directed Dr. K.R. Dakshayani, the Dean and Director of Mysore Medical College and Research Centre (MMC&RI), to which the hospitals are attached to take immediate steps to ensure cleanliness and ensure clean restroom facilities. Observing that patients do not have proper facilities to sit, forcing them to stand and wait for the doctors, Phaneendra said that seating arrangements at the hospitals are basic ones and must be provided on a priority basis.

“Unfortunately, patients here are forced to sleep on beds without bed sheets as the hospitals have not provided such basic amenities,” he said and reprimanded the hospital staff and authorities. Speaking to a few patients, the Upa Lokayukta got to know that staff here demanded money from the patients.

Taking serious exception to this, Phaneendra told the authorities that the only way to prevent this is awareness among patients. Authorities must put signboards and posters asking patients and their attendants not to pay money. “You must maintain the hospital environment akin to temples, ensuring superior treatment and healthcare services for the people who come here from economically weaker sections,” he told the staff.

Medicines from outside 

Many patients voiced their grievances about hospital staff asking them to purchase expensive medicines and tablets from medical shops outside the hospital premises. Patients claimed that some of the staff intentionally do not provide the medicines despite available stocks to profit private pharmacies.

The Upa Lokayukta interacted with breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women to gather feedback on the services provided to them in the hospitals. He even asked patients to produce the bills of procedures availed at the private diagnostic centres and also the bills of medicines paid for at private pharmacies so that he would take up the issue with the Govt. for reimbursement.

Addressing reporters at the hospital, Phaneendra announced his intention to submit a report to the State Government, recommending measures to enhance cleanliness, hygiene and patient facilities. Observing that renovation and restoration works that are being carried out at the hospitals, he also pledged to advocate for additional funding to facilitate the much-needed repair and renovation of these century-old hospitals.

Balamandira visits

Later, the Upa Lokayukta visited girl’s Balamandira on Lalitha Mahal Road and boys Balamandira in Vijayanagar 4th Stage maintained by Department of Women and Children. Appalled at the dismal facilities here too, he directed the Department to ensure that all the basic facilities are taken care of within a fortnight. They were asked to submit a report to him about the upgradation of the facilities.

Lokayukta Deputy Registrar Chennakeshava Reddy, Additional Registrar Shivakumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kavitha Rajaram, DHO Dr. K.H. Prasad and Lokayukta SP B. Suresh Babu were present.