HYDERABAD: A mentally disabled homeless man whose foot was injured, gangrened and maggots were feeding into it, was struggling for treatment at Gandhi Hospital. Police had admitted him in the hospital with help of a social worker.
However, on Tuesday, there was delay in attending the patient as ward boys said the patient would be taken into Orthopedic Ward only if the deep wound is cleansed of maggots and flies.
All his right foot’s fingers were broken, flesh from half of the foot was exposed. When Express brought the issue to notice of Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr P Solomon, he interacted with the patient. The RMO said the patient’s foot has to be amputated and the surgery would be taken up after two or three-days time.
Syed Shahnawaz, a social worker who was taking care of the patient said, “The man said he lives by a roadside. Around a week ago, in an accident at Nallakunta, a vehicle ran over his foot, and he got injured. He said that someone dropped him near Gandhi Hospital. Police who found him there called me and admitted him at the hospital.However, after he fell unconscious, he was taken to Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda, and from there he was again brought to Gandhi Hospital,” Shahnawaz said.
Ward boys reluctant to touch him: Social worker
Moreover, it came to light that ward boys were reluctant to clean the wound and handed over liquid medicines and surgical cotton to the social worker and asked him to clean the patient’s wound instead.
After he was informed the situation, RMO Dr Solomon ensured the patient was admitted to the ward right away. “The patient is being given treatment. His foot would be amputated after two or three-days,” the RMO said. Shahnawaz said that the police took photographs of the patient for record.