KURNOOL: The persisting heatwave-like conditions and the mercury level crossing 44 degrees Celsius in Kurnool has turned the Government General Hospital into a hot cauldron.
The lack of fans, coolers, and air conditioners has exacerbated the situation, turning the lives of in-patients into a nightmare.
To escape the sweltering heat and suffocation, several patients and their attendants often take shelter under trees on the hospital premises.
The Government General Hospital in Kurnool is considered one of the oldest teaching hospitals in the State. Around 2,500 to 3,000 outpatients are treated for various diseases at the hospital daily. More than 450 doctors render their services at 36 units of the 1,150-bed hospital. Not only from Rayalaseema, but patients from neighbouring Prakasam district, Telangana’s Gadwal, and Mahabubnagar as well as from Karnataka visit the hospital to get treated.
With the lack of adequate facilities, Kurnool GGH has been seeking the government’s attention. Though as many as 800 fans, 150 air conditioners, and 25 coolers were installed in the hospital, 30 per cent of them are said to be under repair.
The attendants of patients at the burns ward stated that the unit is better when compared to other wards, where the patients have to face mosquito menace and stinking environment due to poor sanitation, and suffocation in sweltering heat.
Speaking to TNIE, G Eswar, an attendant of a patient from Gadwal, said, “My father was admitted to the trauma care unit a few days ago. Though the doctors are taking good care of my father, the lack of fans in this scorching heat is testing our patience. We had to bring a fan from our house to beat the heat.”
Complaining that patients are spending sleepless nights due to lack of ventilation, Ramudu, a patient at Sushruthi Bhavan said that he was more comfortable outdoors rather than indoors.
GGH patients assured of better services
A staff nurse, who wished not to be named, said that at least three fans were not functioning in their medical unit. “Even though we brought the issue to the notice of the authorities to get their repaired, the problem remains unsolved,” she said.
Another hospital staffer put forth the immediate need for fans and ACs at all units including, surgical, gynaecology, medical, trauma care, and burns ward, besides setting up additional generators to provide uninterrupted power supply in the government general hospital.
Responding to this, the Kurnool Government General Hospital officials said that they are taking measures to repair the appliances and ensure better services to the patients during the summer.