VELLORE: For 22-year-old Swetha M*, what was meant to be a routine hospital stay ahead of delivery turned into a distressing experience, with allegations of rude staff (duty nurses and security) behaviour and poor patient handling at the Pentland Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Vellore.
Admitted to the labour ward in the second week of April for a blood injection, Swetha had planned to stay until her due date on April 24. However, citing rude staff behaviour, she chose to leave midway. She alleged that despite requesting discharge, she was not formally released and eventually walked out.
“The duty nurses spoke rudely to me and other patients. They looked down on us. When I asked for my reports, one nurse asked, ‘Therinju enna panna pore?’ (What will you do knowing that?),” she said. Swetha, a diploma holder in nursing, added that staff were dismissive when she asked about the administered medicines.
Swetha also alleged that some trainee nurses and cleaning staff lacked empathy. Further, she claimed that at times there were not enough beds, forcing pregnant women to sleep on the floor.
Another patient, Pallavi R*, alleged that both patients and attenders were treated poorly and there was no one to explain things to them. “My grandmother accompanied me, and she was scolded too,” she said. Pallavi further claimed staff asked her to share a bed with another patient. “How can I sleep when someone beside me is crying in pain?” she asked.
Several patients and relatives also complained about security staff speaking harshly.
When TNIE visited the hospital, no instances of patients sharing beds or lying on the floor were observed, and most beds were occupied. However, the corridors were crowded with attendees. Outside post-delivery wards, some attenders were seen tending to newborns while mothers rested inside.
TNIE visited 4-5 labour wards and each had around 10–14 beds. While no direct instances of berating patients were witnessed, some staff were observed speaking very loudly.
TNIE also saw three pregnant women lying in the corridor. However, they said they had stepped out voluntarily. “I couldn’t sleep inside, so I came out,” said two of them. Another said she stepped out due to cleaning activity inside the ward.
Men not allowed
Male relatives, including husbands, are not permitted inside labour wards or on those floors. Women undergoing pre-delivery care said they had to go downstairs to meet their husbands.
Some fathers expressed concern over the restriction. “Security staff did not allow us to see our newborns. While rules are important, fathers also want to see their babies,” said Arun Raj*.
A doctor from the Obstetrics Department in the hospital said one attender is allowed per patient, and additional persons are restricted to prevent infection.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr. Ravichandran, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) in charge of the hospital, said that a few complaints regarding staff behaviour were received earlier, but were addressed promptly. He added that any complaint of rude staff behaviour would be strictly looked into.
“The total bed strength of the hospital is around 690, of which two-thirds are in the Obstetrics Department and the remaining in the Paediatrics Department. There are adequate wards and sufficient bed facilities. We have not received any complaints of patients being made to share beds or sleep on the floor,” he said.
On men’s entry, he said they are not allowed inside labour wards as it may cause inconvenience to other patients. “After a baby is born, the staff bring the newborn out to show the father,” he added. However, there are no other specified visiting hours for male relatives.
