HYDERABAD: A day after sections of the media, based on a video that was circulated on WhatsApp, reported shortage of stretchers to carry infants and children from the old block to the new intensive care block in Niloufer Hospital, Dr K Ramesh Reddy, hospital superintendent said that it was baseless.
The superintendent, who was appointed on Tuesday and took charge on the same day, while admitting that it was a reckless act, clarified that the man carrying the oxygen cylinder was Babu, a contract employee working as a multi-purpose patient care provider.
“He was definitely reckless moving the child with respiratory problem without a stretcher. I sought an explanation from him about why he had to take a risk and he had no answer after which I directed the contractor to terminate his services, effective immediately,” pointed Dr Reddy.
He said, “It is not easy to move a child of that age who has respiratory problem on a stretcher. They are generally restless and need support.”
“We have trolleys that have oxygen cylinders attached to them which could have been used in this case or a wheelchair, where the child could be in the parent’s arms. There are enough stretchers, trolleys and wheelchairs available in the hospital,” he added.
The child was being shifted from the old block after an X-ray examination. Though the new block is a five-storeyed building with facilities provided by the state government, certain medical activities still require patients to visit the old block regularly.
“This is a 1,000-bedded maternity and children’s hospital and 500 beds are still in the old block. The new block is the emergency ward that has enough surgical theatres, a pediatrics wing and other advanced facilities. Blood and blood components are a major requirement in our hospital. We have received license to have our own blood bank. We also have a 24-hour lab facility,” informed Dr Reddy.
Lack of water supply to the surgical theatres was the biggest problem of the hospital. “This has been solved as we now have a tank only to supply water to the theatres,” Dr Reddy further said.
Induction of 583 new employees is in the final stage and once they come in, operations will be smoother, he added.