Private hospitals lack basic medical equipment

Most private hospitals in the twin cities lack basic facilities to handle general surgeries, post-operation infections and complications due to the dearth of qualified staff. According to a survey, the majority of private hospitals do not provide essential facilities like CT scans, incubators, ventilators, ICU, CCU wards and a sufficient strength of doctors to handle general surgeries.
Several people complained about the general lack of treatment facilities in these hospitals. Kashif Ali, a teacher, said the hospital management irritates patients and attendants by asking them to fulfil various formalities and do not provide adequate services.
There are no checks on their performance and they provide no relief to the poor, even if they are dying in their premises, said a patient at a private hospital.
Kamal Ahsan, an employee at a private firm, said, the doctors in these hospitals work in various other hospitals as well, they come in a few minutes before surgeries take a cursory look at the patients’ histories and take decisions without really studying the case and physical condition of the patients. These patients are then left at the mercy of nurses, he added. Expressing concern, people urged the government to take concrete steps to avoid untoward incidents in the future by evolving a clear-cut policy to deal with private hospitals.
When contacted, a private hospital official said that adequate steps had been taken to facilitate the maximum number of patients from far-flung areas of the country. He said despite limited resources, the hospital administration is doing its best to provide adequate medical services.