VISAKHAPATNAM: With the cyclone crippling power supply, the hospitals here are unable to admit patients. At King George Hospital (KGH), a main government hospital in the city, electricity is available only in operation theatres, scanning centres, diagnostic laboratories and ventilators.
The hospital has only three generators. All wards, including the children and gynaecology one, have no power supply. Ironically, the administrative block, doctors’ cabins and dining halls have power supply. The situation is better in big private hospitals, which are running on generators.
P Sanyasi Naidu, a patient’s relative from Anakapalle, said there was no power supply to the ward where his mother was undergoing treatment. “All the patients are facing the issue. There are many elderly persons in the ward. The authorities did not even provide basic amenities such as drinking water. The wards are also not cleaned since the cyclone,” he added.
Similar was the condition at gynaecology, children’s and other wards. Patients’ relatives were seen fighting for water sachets being distributed outside the hospital. There was no water supply to toilets, making the matters worse. Tulasayya, a patient’s relative, said he had brought water for daily needs from a nearby borewell. “There was a big queue. I stood there for more than two hours,” he said.
While big private hospitals are using a number of generators, smaller ones are asking the patients to leave. Some of the hospitals are supplying power to limited wards in turns.