Published On : Fri, Jan 12th, 2018

GMCH, poor man’s hospital turns ‘inhospitable’

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Nagpur: The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur is no more a poor man’s hospital. The OPD charges have been increased to Rs 20 from Rs 10. Interestingly, once you pay the charges and visit the hospital again after seven days, you will have to cough up the charges afresh.

On medicines front, the supplier has reportedly stopped supply of medicines over non-payment dues amounting to Rs 35 crore, according to media reports. Now there is acute shortage of drugs, as a result. Forget life saving drugs, even the necessary medicines are not available in the hospital. Accident or emergency patients have to wait for hours for treatment. Relatives are forced to purchase medicines from open market. Due to shortage of doctors, surgeries are postponed for seven or more days. Even the emergency surgeries.

No signboard of increased charges:
The OPD and IPD charges in GMCH have been increased. But the administration has not put up any signboard indicating the change. This ‘no board’ apathy many a time sparks unnecessary skirmishes at various counters as till yesterday Rs 10 were charged and now suddenly the counter employee demands Rs 20.

X-Rays, MRI to cost more:
After increase in OPD charges, next on the table is blood test, X-ray, MRI, ECG, sonography, surgery, and various other treatment methods. 25 percent increase in charges is being expected, according to media reports.

A look at various departments of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), arguably the biggest hospital in Asia, would reveal that all is not well and the hospital itself is ailing. Although the GMCH boasts itself of a well-equipped hospital and a team of expert doctors, a number of expensive equipments are either gathering dust for no reasons or ‘misused’ depriving the needy patients of proper treatment.