Eat with the dead
Food at the Ahmedabad railway hospital canteen is prepared next to a morgue; lack of refrigeration for life-saving drugs puts the medicine’s potency at risk
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, August 26, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=20100826201008260416485118102d7)
Healthcare at the Ahmedabad divisional railway hospital in Sabarmati is in a disarray. A visit to the hospital will speak volumes about the negligence and lackadaisical attitude of the hospital authorities. Life-saving drugs meant to be refrigerated between 2 and 20 degree Celsius are stored in open racks, putting the medicine’s potency at risk. The hospital also provides a unique facility: To partake a meal with the dead.
The hospital authorities have converted a parking lot into a temporary canteen as their designated canteen is still to be inaugurated. The canteen is situated right next to a mortuary. Most relatives of patients forgo a visit to the canteen due to its proximity to the mortuary. “We have nothing to do with the canteen. It is being run by the Mahila Samiti of the Ahmedabad Railway Division,” said Chief Medical Superintendent S S Rathore.
Impotent drugs
A round of the hospital reveals more problems. The hospital has 50 beds. Its Out Patient Department (OPD) sees 1,000 patients daily. Flouting hospital norms, its drugstore has neither a fridge nor an air-conditioner to preserve important drugs. Drugs for heart attacks, blood pressure, diabetes and hypertension like angispar, coversyl,vidacliptin, sitagliptin, nicorandil, etc lie in the open.
However, the CMS denied this. Rathore said: “We have three fridges to store drugs and do not have any problems storing drugs.”
Commissioner of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Hemant Koshia said hospitals and chemists are required to abide by medical norms. “Some life-saving drugs have to be stored in the refrigerator at the right temperature. If this is not done, the drug does not produce the desired effect.”
He admitted the hospital comes under the purview of his department and is liable for inspection in case of complaints.
Dogs have a free run at the railway hospital
Untrained staff
Patients at the hospital have complained about negligence several times, but in vain. Sources in the hospital informed that the hospital was running short of nurses. “They are pressing Class IV employees to perform the task of skilled nurses. Recently, a nurse gave saline to a patient. Instead of the solution flowing into the patient’s vein, his blood flowed into the bottle. This happens only if the nurse is not competent,” said the source.
The CMS confirmed this. He said, “Maybe someone sought the service of Class IV employees during an emergency. But we have strict guidelines in place against such lapses.”
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, August 26, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=20100826201008260416485118102d7)
Healthcare at the Ahmedabad divisional railway hospital in Sabarmati is in a disarray. A visit to the hospital will speak volumes about the negligence and lackadaisical attitude of the hospital authorities. Life-saving drugs meant to be refrigerated between 2 and 20 degree Celsius are stored in open racks, putting the medicine’s potency at risk. The hospital also provides a unique facility: To partake a meal with the dead.
The hospital authorities have converted a parking lot into a temporary canteen as their designated canteen is still to be inaugurated. The canteen is situated right next to a mortuary. Most relatives of patients forgo a visit to the canteen due to its proximity to the mortuary. “We have nothing to do with the canteen. It is being run by the Mahila Samiti of the Ahmedabad Railway Division,” said Chief Medical Superintendent S S Rathore.
Impotent drugs
A round of the hospital reveals more problems. The hospital has 50 beds. Its Out Patient Department (OPD) sees 1,000 patients daily. Flouting hospital norms, its drugstore has neither a fridge nor an air-conditioner to preserve important drugs. Drugs for heart attacks, blood pressure, diabetes and hypertension like angispar, coversyl,vidacliptin, sitagliptin, nicorandil, etc lie in the open.
However, the CMS denied this. Rathore said: “We have three fridges to store drugs and do not have any problems storing drugs.”
Commissioner of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Hemant Koshia said hospitals and chemists are required to abide by medical norms. “Some life-saving drugs have to be stored in the refrigerator at the right temperature. If this is not done, the drug does not produce the desired effect.”
He admitted the hospital comes under the purview of his department and is liable for inspection in case of complaints.
Dogs have a free run at the railway hospital
Untrained staff
Patients at the hospital have complained about negligence several times, but in vain. Sources in the hospital informed that the hospital was running short of nurses. “They are pressing Class IV employees to perform the task of skilled nurses. Recently, a nurse gave saline to a patient. Instead of the solution flowing into the patient’s vein, his blood flowed into the bottle. This happens only if the nurse is not competent,” said the source.
The CMS confirmed this. He said, “Maybe someone sought the service of Class IV employees during an emergency. But we have strict guidelines in place against such lapses.”
