Cat in Osmania ICU ward; State Human Rights Commission seeks report

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought a report from the superintendent of Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, following a complaint from an advocate regarding dismal facilities in the hospital.

The complainant M. Ramachandra Reddy has alleged in his letter addressed to the SHRC that the doctor’s and staff at the Osmania General Hospital “were never bothered about the unhygienic conditions prevailing in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)”. The complaint, which also attached a video of the conditions in the ICU ward showed a cat sitting on beds searching for food. Patients can also be seen shooing the cat away. The complainant also alleged that the hospital authorities are “acting in a negligent manner and playing with the lives of patients who are supposed to be treated with intensive care. The patient present in the video lost her life in the hospital.”

Taking the complaint into account, the SHRC has called for a report from the superintendent of Osmania General Hospital by May 22, 2020. It further stated that “the matter will be listed for further consideration before the commission on 22-05-2020 and will be taken up on that date at 10.30 am. Before which date you are required to submit the requisite information/report.”

Speaking to NewsMeter, the complainant Mr Ramachandra Reddy said, “It is notable that the SHRC has taken cognizance of my complaint. All other hospitals in the city need to take this as an example and do a better job with regard to hygiene and facilities in the hospital. Doctors, hospital staff and the state authorities need to take care of this, especially because we are surviving amidst the COVID-19 pandemic."