Hyderabad: A majority of the wards in Osmania Government Hospital (OGH) give out the typical smell that one associate with a hospital-phenol, bleach, grime and rotting flesh combined with pan stains. Each corner of the wall on the ground floor has become a canvas for people spitting pan and painting it red.
However, this smell is superseded by the bleach and phenol. Although the sanitation department at OGH has changed three times in the last five years, the stench remains. Before 2016, Bombay Services managed the sanitation at OGH which according to the hospital management did not do any better.
Later, GJR Services signed an agreement with the hospital, but they again failed to maintain the standards. In July 2017, the contract was assigned to another contractor named Agile group, who is again worthless.
“We at Osmania Hospital, compromise at every level,” said Dr B Nagender, superintendent of OGH. “I do not see any improvement in services and all these agencies have changed nothing, except for the fact that Agile has reduced our burden of patient care and security,” he added.
“Six months ago we repainted lower portions of the walls with images of gods, but there has been no respite. It is a cultural problem and we are failing to fix it despite persistent efforts,” Dr Nagender said.
Toilets in the hospital if not cleaned, the smell of ammonia produced by urine, or like phenol mixed with ammonia if cleaned. Both these smells are nauseous. “Although there is good ventilation, there are no air purifiers at the wards where most of the patients are treated,” said one of the doctors.
Authored by Mohammed Hussain
mohammedhussain.reporter@gmail.com