Do Public Hospitals need an Overhaul?

Government hospitals in the country urgently require a complete structural, qualitative, and infrastructural makeover if healthcare is to be extended beyond the privileged 25 per cent

Let’s answer another question first – will we ever take our dear ones to a government hospital if they fall ill or if there is a health emergency? We will prefer not to. Barring a few exceptions like those staying in New Delhi (close to the AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital) or other big cities, people usually do not prefer a government hospital when it comes to dependable healthcare.

This however, doesn’t mean that Indians don’t get treated in government hospitals. In fact, 55 per cent of Indian households seek the services of government hospitals. They do so because they have no other alternative. This very attitude of people reinforces the need to revamp our public hospitals. The problems that have afflicted our public hospitals further make a strong case for an overhaul.

What ails government hospitals?

A majority of government hospitals in our country is in a deplorable condition and overhauling them is an imperative need. They are symbols of apathy, irresponsibility, and corruption. A surprise visit to any government hospital in a rural or semi urban area is more likely to confirm this. In most government hospitals in the rural areas it is hard to find the doctor, the compounder, a caring nursing staff, adequate facility, and medicines all at the same time. If one is present the other is sure to be absent.

In a survey conducted by Livemint.com it is found that 39 per cent of the patients had to revisit a government hospital as the doctor was not available during their first visit. Nearly 21 per cent of the patients do not get appointment even if the doctor is present. Getting admitted to the ward is another challenging task that may depend on the will of the hospital administration which can turn favourable after greasing off their palms.

Government hospitals are the hotbeds of corruption. The monetary values of corruption in government hospitals in India are put at Rs 2037 crores per year. Forty five per cent of the Livemint.com study respondents reported about frequent demand for bribes by the hospital staff. Doctors in government hospitals ask patients to meet them in their clinics. Bribing results in availing service out of turn.  

More ailments

Generally the attitude of the staff in government hospitals is apathetic and in some cases it is callous. This is made worse by the fact that government hospitals often work with limited resources and no prompt help from the health ministry. The best example of this is the collapse of a part of the thoracic ward located in the first floor of the Government General Hospital, Chennai. The thoracic ward floor caved in to the ward below resulting in the death of one patient and injury of two doctors. Government General Hospital is a top hospital in Chennai. Incidents of neglect are reported with regularity and need to be addressed on a war footing.

There are other irregularities noticed at government hospitals which should be looked in to. Medicines are not available in many cases. Only a few government hospitals have operation theatres and diagnostic labs. But the irony is that operation theatres are not always free and diagnostic labs fail to take samples. Thirteen per cent of respondents reported that the operation theatre was not free and twelve per cent of the respondents had reported failure of diagnostic lab to take samples.

The quality of sanitation and cleanliness in government hospitals is poor. Very few government hospitals are equipped well to deal with large scale emergencies.

To sum up, the health of the government hospitals is frail. The problems that are mentioned above make it clear that government hospitals certainly need a thorough overhaul with a tearing urgency.

Moreover, as mentioned earlier a vast majority of Indians that live in villages cannot afford costly healthcare offered in the private hospitals and depend on free treatment availed at government hospitals.

Despite the shortcomings government hospitals do function. To meet the healthcare needs of these people they must be made to function better. Otherwise the present state of healthcare in India will be a mockery where only 25 per cent of the population has access to quality healthcare. When so many lives depend on the public healthcare system it has to be competent and efficient.