Government hospitals are not looked at favorably by the common man. The public generally thinks these hospitals have poor facilities, missing doctors, and inadequate services.
Ursula Government Hospital of Kanpur recently came under the lens of the District Magistrate himself, when he decided to visit it, and that too, disguised as a patient. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the 2011-batch IAS officer Vishakh Iyer talked about his visit in disguise to the hospital and what happened thereafter
DISGUISED AS A PATIENT
In the very first week of taking over as the District Magistrate of Kanpur, Mr. Iyer decided to get a first-hand experience of what the patients of the city go through while trying to get treatment in a government hospital.
Therefore, without announcing his arrival, he took two of his administrative staff members and visited the hospital like a normal patient. What happened after that? Let’s hear it from the DM himself.
“I reached the hospital in civil clothes around 8 in the morning, got myself registered there, and sat outside the doctor’s cabin for medical consultation.”
After waiting for almost 45 minutes, the officer inquired about the doctor’s arrival to which he was told to sit quietly and wait. He utilized the waiting time by visiting different departments of the OPD like a common patient.
He also inspected the seating arrangements of the patients and the facilities at the registration counter.
“I found that there is no proper place for the patients to sit in the hospital premises. Cleanliness was also not satisfactory. I also noted down the time of the arrival of the doctors as they entered the hospital way too late than the mentioned time,” the officer told Indian Masterminds.
A WORD WITH THE STAFF
Ursula Government Hospital is one of the biggest government hospitals in the city. People from nearby districts and far-flung villages also come here to receive better treatment. The DM’s surprise visit to the hospital gave him as well as the hospital staff a reality check on the actual condition of the hospital.
The officer not only observed the inadequate seating arrangement, cleanliness, and lack of drinking water but also inspected the arrival of doctors and their way of treating the patients. After checking everything, the officer finally revealed his identity in front of the medical staff and had a word with them.
In view of the problems being faced by the patients in the district hospital, the DM told the director to provide an explanation for not being present on time. Along with this, he also directed the doctors to make it a point to come on time.
BRINGING IN POSITIVE CHANGES
Talking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Iyer stated that things have taken a better shape in the government hospital after his surprise visit. “I talked to the medical officers and staff and told them that their services should be provided to people on time. People come to the hospital from near and far, expecting better treatment which should be given to them. Our government hospitals should provide qualitative service to the people.”
The Magistrate keeps in touch with the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital and receives feedback from them. Further, he has called meetings and sensitized the medical staff to ensure their availability and the best of services to the public free of cost.
His one little step has brought in discipline and cleanliness in the hospital, and has, also, given hopes in the minds of Kanpur residents that all government hospitals in the city will change for the better now.
