WARANGAL: Highlighting the sad state of affairs at the state-run MGM Hospital in Warangal, a video showing two newborns being supplied oxygen from a single cylinder went viral on social media on Saturday.
In the video, family members were seen pushing an oxygen cylinder cart on their own, as there was no hospital attendant available to take the newborns for medical tests from the children’s unit to the diagnostic lab.
According to sources, Devika and Murali, residents of Muttaram village in Kottakonda mandal of Hanamkonda district, were blessed with a baby girl on Friday at the local Primary Health Centre (PHC). The infant, suffering from a neonatal illness, was referred to MGM Hospital for treatment. Doctors there advised an X-ray on Saturday for further diagnosis.
Another couple, Ramana and Rani from Gorlacharla village in Dornakal mandal of Mahbubabad district, had admitted their three-day-old baby boy to the same hospital for emergency care. Both newborns were sent for X-rays on Saturday.
However, with no attendant present, the parents themselves had to push the oxygen cylinder cart as they moved between wards. During the process, the mouth nebulisers reportedly fell into muddy water. Despite this, the parents continued using the same equipment on their infants before proceeding for treatment.
Speaking to TNIE, MGM Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr M Ashwin Kumar admitted that the two newborns had been shifted without an attendant. He explained that the X-ray machine in the paediatric ward had been out of order since Friday night, forcing staff to move 12 babies to the emergency block for diagnostic imaging on Saturday morning.
“Two of the babies were on oxygen support. The caretaker was busy assisting with tests for 10 other infants. After learning that two babies were diagnosed while sharing one oxygen cylinder, we immediately ordered an enquiry. Action will be taken based on the report,” said Dr Ashwin Kumar.