KALABURAGI: At the Kalaburagi District Hospital, pregnant women who are in labour sit in a queue outside the labour ward, waiting for their turn to deliver.
“There is no arrangement for a waiting room here. We have come with my daughter who is in labour and we have no choice but to wait for our turn,” said Ningamma, a resident of Fartabad village.
The hospital is affiliated to Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences.
Dr Balachandra Joshi, a surgeon at the hospital, blames the queue on the large number of family members who accompany a single patient. “We often tell them not to come in such large groups, but they don’t listen.” he asked.
Some patients said the hospital also lacks in cleanliness, wheelchairs and stretchers. To this, Dr Joshi said, “There are sufficient number of wheelchairs and stretchers. No patient has ever complained. Our staff also maintain cleanliness but sometimes we cannot keep up.”