TIRUPATTUR: Families of women who have babies at Vaniyambadi Government Hospital in Tirupattur district, where treatment is free, alleged that they end up paying Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 to the staff assigned to the ward for services such as transferring the newborn baby and mother after C-section and cleaning. Patients also grumbled about rat and mosquito menace in the facility.
The allegations were confirmed during TNIE’s recent visit to the hospital. Speaking to TNIE, a 52-year-old mother of a woman admitted to the hospital for childbirth, said that the practice of staff asking for money is not new at the hospital. “Last year my daughter was admitted to the hospital for a c-section and the ward boys asked us to pay Rs 1,000. Though we refused, they forced us to pay Rs 500. I didn’t report the incident to higher authorities, thinking it might affect the treatment my daughter was getting at the hospital.”
A woman from Alangayam said, “A few years back, when my uncle had a baby in the hospital, the staff asked `400 as a bribe. But now they have increased it to Rs 1,000. She further said that she had seen rats in the labour ward of the hospital. “Though no cases of rat bites have been reported, it is still a health hazard and could potentially lead to other medical issues,” she said.
Santhosh (21), an outpatient who visited the hospital, stated that the facility is notorious for rats and mosquito menace. “The patients were unable to sit in the outpatient (OP) treatment room comfortably due to the substantial presence of mosquitoes,” he said.
When asked about this, hospital medical officer (MO), Dr Sivasubramani said action would be taken if someone complained with necessary proof. However, when TNIE presented audio evidence, an officer who accompanied MO, refuted it and said media persons were allegedly offering money to patients to speak out against the hospital.
Meanwhile, as part of Health Minister Ma Subramanian’s inspection of the hospital, authorities cleaned the facility using bleaching powder. During the visit, in response to inquiries about money being demanded in government hospitals, including Vaniyambadi hospital, the minister said, “Government hospitals exist to offer free services. If such practices are identified, appropriate action will be taken.” He also assured that he would instruct the medical officer of the hospital to address the issue.