Hyderabad: In many hospitals across the State, there are more nurses than required for the number of beds. However, these hospitals lack proper fire prevention equipment and face other operational issues.
A recent CAG report highlights several concerns in health institutions like MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre, Osmania General Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, AHs Golconda and Malakpet, CHCs Amberpet, Wardhannapet, and Badepally. It was found that the number of beds per nurse was higher than the recommended six beds per nurse.
At Niloufer Hospital, the ratio was almost four times higher than the norm. Additionally, imaging equipment in these hospitals did not have the necessary licenses from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), and some district hospitals did not provide Thermos-Luminescent Dosimeter (TLD) badges to staff working with X-ray machines.
Microbiology services were missing in all district hospitals except at Narsampet. Many hospitals did not have essential fire-fighting equipment like hydrants and smoke detectors, making them non-compliant with fire safety regulations.
The CAG advised the State government to ensure that medical officers are posted in all Palle Dawakhanas to provide healthcare services locally. It also recommended that all district hospitals should have imaging equipment, endoscopy services, and blood banks within a specific timeframe.
Furthermore, the government should ensure all health institutions are equipped with adequate fire-fighting equipment to guarantee patient safety and uninterrupted power supply. The CAG also suggested maintaining a Patient Satisfaction Survey Report in every health institution to gauge patient satisfaction and implement necessary improvements. Additionally, hospitals should provide TLD badges to protect staff working with X-ray units from radiation.
