Hospital mess making doctors ill. Meanwhile govt. spends just Rs.82 per doc for food
The government spending “a measly” Rs.82 to provide a doctor with food during duty hours is “quite unfair.” It has to be raised to Rs.150 so that better quality of food could be served in hygienic conditions- something said by Dr.G. Srinivas, the president of the Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association.
The doctor made the statement in the backdrop of doctors repeatedly falling ill at Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad due to the poor hygienic conditions of the mess. The duty doctors complain of vomiting sensation, stomach ache and low grade fever after having food from the mess. In rare instances, typhoid was also reported.
Rodent infested, without even a fridge for storing vegetables
The situation in the Gandhi Hospital mess seems to be even worse. The mess, situated above the emergency block is infested with rodents, claim the doctors.
A senior doctor said to The Times of India(TOI) that since the 70 to 80 duty doctors who work around the clock can’t bring food from home, they have no option but to depend on the mess. The doctor says that the mess is the worst place to have food, adding that he has an upset stomach.
The hospital mess lacks in such basic provisions as fridge to store vegetables or containers for storing cooked food. The sight of rotten tomatoes, chilies and the like which are left to dry on paper pieces and partially eaten food in open dirty containers greet those who step into the mess. It’s also said that leftovers from lunch being served for dinner is a common phenomenon.
Dr. R. Raghu- the general secretary of Gandhi Hospital unit of Telangana Government Doctor’s Association points out that poor food quality and unhygienic conditions could cause food poisoning, gastroenteritis, hepatitis infection, fever and typhoid. He alleged that the food safety department officials never visited the mess to test food samples.
The scenario in the Osmania General Hospital(OGH) too is harrowing As a third year PG medico at the hospital said to TOI, she came down with an abdomen pain and fever two months back after eating at the mess. Even though the lack-of-hygiene issue was brought to the authorities’ attention, nothing has come of it.
The doctors also point out that the menu card prescribed for duty doctors in teaching hospitals by the director of medical education(DME) remains only on paper.
The authorities of both the Gandhi Hospital and OGH have categorically denied the allegations. As per Dr.G V S Murthy, superintendent, OGH, the food which is served to doctors and patients passes a quality test every day.
Dr. SV Masood, the deputy superintendent of the Gandhi Hospital too said that there exists no problem. However, he has promised that from now on, randomly chosen food samples will be tested at their microbiology department.
Image credits: tsnewstoday.com