Andhra Pradesh

Unfair practice at NIMS

I periodically visit the evening clinic at Millennium Block of NIMS where patients can consult super-specialty doctors on payment.

A patient who gets his appointment fixed and has a token number of 50 usually gets to meet the doctor only at 8.30 p.m. In such a case instead of waiting for long periods, if the patient turns up late, the payment counter gets closed by 7 p.m. and the patient can’t consult the doctor even if there is an appointment without the receipt.

When the doctor stays even after 9.30 p.m. why should the payment counter be closed promptly at 7 p.m.? This forces the patients who arrive late to make a second visit.

A notice displayed at many places at Millennium Block states that radiological tests should be conducted at NIMS only. It’s not clear why this strange condition is imposed.

Is it to augment the hospital revenues or does it imply that radiological tests done elsewhere are not reliable? The Millennium Block has only one toilet, and that too badly maintained, which is promptly locked by 7 p.m. forcing people patients use Sulabh Complex, which stinks and whose attendant charges money.

R. Ramachandra Rao,

Vidyanagar

I got admitted at NIMS in 2006 because of a fractured right leg. It was indeed a nightmarish experience for 10 days at NIMS.

I was getting impatient and restive when I did not get any room even after five days of agony and suffering.

Throughout the day, I used lie down on the stretcher. I was finally admitted due to the persistent and steadfast efforts of my brother-in-law. I saw many patients going out of the hospital fuming over not being able to get admitted.

The NIMS staff is insensitive and rude. The wheel chairs meant for patients at orthopaedic wing were found to be inadequate and rusted. The staff also fleeces patients at the orthopaedic wards.

Mahabub Ali

Hyderabad

With increasing number of vehicles on the roads and no change in the road width, can any State government cope up with the problem of traffic jams? Is it possible to increase the width of important roads/main thoroughfares once in five years? One can scatter weekly holidays of all the government and private establishments instead of a fixed weekly holiday for all. On any given day the total number of vehicles on the roads will definitely be less, which in turn will reduce traffic jams and pollution levels. The government should ask all the private companies to provide transport for their employees for a fee. Another alternative is asking companies to encourage their employees to use vehicles in a pooling method. Another problem is there are no pathways for pedestrians.

S.R. Patri,

Sainathpuram, ECIL

A majority of political parties have this habit of giving strike notices and ‘bandhs’ every now and then on flimsy grounds. Recently the BJP called for ‘bandh’ on a day when Intermediate final exams were on. The exam was postponed, which troubled the student community. How far was it justified? Any bandh or rasta roko results in a lot of inconvenience to the general public. Ailing people can’t go to hospitals. Daily wagers have to starve without work. Those who have railway reservations and coming from outstations have to suffer. Bandhs also result in heavy damage to private and public property. Why can’t parties arrange meetings in different areas peacefully instead of wreaking havoc with normal life?

K. Susheela,

Hyderabad

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