Report on District hospital
Reports for college magazine and television on
Report on District hospital
Ruchi Gupta
MPS, Meerut
The mushrooming of private hospitals and nursing homes in Meerut is much talked about activity in the city. The patients have just two choices. They have to either pay through the nose and get good care or depend on unreliable government health care. During the last many years non-governmental medical facilities and private hospitals have earned reputation. But sadly enough, the same is not true of public medical infrastructure and the district hospitals. It is a pity that quality health care is a distant dream for the poor and the middle class.
The existing government hospital was allotted 5 acre of land for its expansion and provision of modern facilities. It is a pity that construction has not started yet. The land has been illegally occupied by the land mafia operating in the city and nearby areas. In fact land has been allotted but funds have not been made available for the hospitals. The fee for out-door patients, admissions and treatment are constantly going up. There is shortage, of medical and paramedical staff. There is also lack of friendly attitude. The attitude of the staff at for the civil hospital is callous to the patients. It is a serious problem because private medical facilities and treatment at private hospitals is unaffordable for a common man. Those needing special medical treatment fall prey to the private medical practitioner. Those who are self employed cannot meet with the rising health care costs. Dr. Murthy, the Chief Medical Officer has shown his helplessness. According to him it is very difficult to compete with private sector only on the strength of government grants. He suggests that the insurance sector must step in to make quality health care affordable for all. He has another valuable suggestion to offer. Medical council of India should come forward to regulate the treatment and admission fee in the private nursing homes. The government should exercise control and regulate the functioning of private hospitals. In the present circumstances government is not in a position to pose any challenge to hospitals in private sector.