NEW DELHI: Insufficient medical staff, endless waiting period for patients, overcrowding in wards and inadequate medical services in the Emergency and Casualty areas sums up the state of affairs at the four major public hospitals in the Capital, according to the latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

The conditions at Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Hindu Rao Hospital and Charak Palika Hospital were reviewed and a performance audit of the functioning of these hospitals was conducted to assess their functioning in terms of providing medical care by efficient use of available resources and infrastructure.

The performance audit revealed that the strength of the medical, para-medical and nursing staff at the four hospitals was less than adequate which was adversely affecting patient care.

Also, the waiting time for patients who had been advised surgeries and various investigations has increased substantially. The problem is further compounded by a significant increase in the patient load, while the number of beds in hospitals remains static leading to overcrowding in wards.

The Casualty and Emergency services in the hospitals were equally affected by a shortage of medical staff, essential drugs and infrastructure facilities.

Prevention and control of hospital-associated infections was found to be weak and the patient grievance redress system lacked direction and perspective, states the report.

It also notes that the hospital ambulances were not utilised for bona fide purpose of shifting patients alone and at two hospitals they were also not equipped with essential life support equipment. However, what appears to be the worst drawback is the fact that patients suffering from serious diseases including terminally ill patients remained deprived of essential life-saving drugs and medicines. As for the purchase of equipment and medicines, the report notes that there has been a lack of probity.

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