HYDERABAD: While Telangana’s citizens are running around to find Remdesivir, oxygen cylinders, Tocilizumab and other drugs, the staff and patients in Koti District Hospital are looking for something simpler — drinking water.
Reliable sources confirmed that the hospital has had no drinking water for its staff since the last eight months. It is managing to procure a few bottles in limited quantity for its Covid-19 patients. “We are forced to bring several bottles of water from home and if that gets over, there is no option but to go to the store outside our hospital and get water,” rues a doctor. The hospital has two coolers — one, donated by an NGO, and another near the patient care area. Both are dysfunctional.
For patients, it is worse. It is learnt that they get three bottles of water along with each meal and no more is given if the need arises. “The direct consequence of no water within the hospital is that bystanders are coming in and supplying water. The patients can’t go out, so the families are sending them water. How will anyone manage with just three litres of water in this scorching summer,” asks a hospital staffer. Koti District Hospital is presently treating 330 Covid patients.
No ECG machine, thin PPEs
Meanwhile, the doctors are flooding officials with representations for water and other amenities. “We have also requested them for better PPE kits. Most days, the PPE kits are too thin and offer scant protection. We are also getting broken face shields,” added a doctor.
Doctors are also appealing for a functional ECG machine. As the number of patients dying in the emergency area and out-patient area are increasing and many are being brought dead, it is best if ECG machines are provided to us. Only then can we declare deaths accurately,” adds another source.