Med Edu minister pays surprise visit to Kidwai and IGICH hospitals

Bengaluru, June 20: Medical Education Minister Dr.Sharan Prakash Patil on Wednesday paid a surprise visit to Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) and Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in the city that are plagued with problems.

The minister pulled up the doctors and staff over their functioning.

The minister’s surprise visit comes amid growing complaints against the hospitals over poor treatment to the patients. Dr.Sharan Prakash Patil started his surprise visit from Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology interacted with the patients and collected their views on the facilities and the treatment being provided.

He queried the institute’s administrator Manjushree and director Dr.Lokesh regarding the number of patients and the kind of treatment and fast track service. He pulled up the officer incharge of fast track scheme who fumbled while trying to answer the questions. The minister angrily posed a volley of questions regarding diagnosis of cancer, early treatment, chemotherapy, treatment schedule, duration of treatment and the number of patients visiting the hospitals.

Later, speaking to the reporters the Minister said as patients from various parts of the state are facing difficulties in visiting Bengaluru for the treatment, the government is planning to open Kidwai-like hospitals in Tumakuru, Shivamogga, Mandya and Karwar. ”We are also planning to open Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Kalaburagi. We will continue to take necessary steps to address the problems in the hospital in a gradual manner,” he maintained.

Admitting that few problems plaguing the Kidwai hospital, Dr Patil said that there are some problems persisting in Kidwai hospital but developmental works are also being implemented. “There is no waiting period anymore. I have personally interacted with many patients and they have expressed satisfaction over the kind of treatment that they are receiving. We will float the tender to acquire medical equipment and steps will be taken to address the shortage of staff.”

Dr.Patil also sought information regarding the staff available in the fast track service, number of surgeries conducted daily and whether there are adequate number of doctors and other staff and the action taken to fill vacant posts. The minister enquired about the facilities, hospital service, quality of treatment and the food being served while interacting with the patients. He fumed at doctors after learning that a patient was waiting for surgery for the past one month. He condemned the lethargic attitude of the doctors who were clueless about the patient’s admission.

Minister’s kind gesture

The Medical Education Minister in a humanitarian gesture asked the hospital staff to provide medicine worth Rs.75,000 at free of cost after a specially-abled poor patient named Ramesh expressed his inability to purchase. The patients also complained about denial of free treatment despite holding BPL cards, prescription of costly medicines and insensitive treatment meted out to untidy patients. Dr.Patil responded to the grievances of the patients and urged the doctors to take corrective measures.

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