Last Friday, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao underwent a series of ‘routine’ diagnostic tests, including coronary angiogram, MRI of brain and spine, ECG and 2D echo, at a corporate hospital. All of this was done within a few hours, and the CM discharged from day care the same afternoon.
For the common people, however, getting the tests done on the same day is a far-fetched dream. Even getting an appointment date for the tests post doctor’s consultation takes several days.
Now, take the case of V. Balaji, a 31-year-old farmer from Narayankhed, who had to wait for six days for his turn to undergo MRI scanning appointment at the government-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH). When the day of appointment finally came, he reached the hospital on an empty stomach around 9 a.m. However, he had to wait till late afternoon as emergency cases had to be cleared before him.
“I reached Hyderabad the previous night, stayed at a friend’s place and reached the hospital in the morning,” he said.
This is not an isolated case. Many other patients from poor backgrounds opting for major government hospitals in the State also face an excruciatingly long wait — a few days to a week — to undergo tests.
Given the exorbitant charges at corporate hospitals or private diagnostic centres, the poor rely on State-run facilities for medicare. For instance, MRI of brain or spine at private health facilities costs anywhere between ₹7,000 and ₹10,000. For coronary angiogram, one has to shell out ₹10,000-15,000.
Such financial considerations are not there at government tertiary care hospitals, and hence, preferred by people from poor backgrounds. However, accessing the services there is fraught with inordinate delays.
No facility at Gandhi
To start with, MRI scanning and Cath Lab are currently not available at Gandhi Hospital, which is among the major government hospitals that people rely on.
In absence of the crucial facilities, patients are referred to either OGH or Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, which have their set of patients in need of diagnostic services.
At OGH, getting an appointment for an MRI scan takes several days to a week. The waiting time is less in case of CT Scan.
S. Yashwanth, a young patient waiting by the MRI scanning facility at OGH, along with a relative for hours, said, “MRI of knee at a private hospital had cost me ₹5,000 earlier. So, this time, when my knee acted up, I was keen to get tested at a government hospital.”
Since the estimated time for their turn was not informed, a few attendants persistently knocked on the lab doors to ask the staff how long they have to wait.
K. Nagarjuna, an attendant of a patient seeking an appointment for CT Scan, said they trust OGH since his father had undergone two successful surgeries there. “Besides, if we were to go for all the tests and treatment at a corporate hospital, we would need to sell all our property. I have been waiting since morning, and will wait for some more time to get an appointment,” he added.
An elderly woman who walked in for a CT Scan appointment on late Saturday afternoon had forgotten her receipt. The mistake meant she had to return home and be back on Monday to get an appointment for Tuesday.
When contacted, OGH Superintendent B. Nagender said the MRI scan on patients in emergency condition is performed without any delay while elective cases (non-emergency) take time.
Superintendent of Gandhi Hospital, M. Raja Rao, for his part, said that works for the MRI scanning facility will be complete by March-end. Officials said there is some delay in receiving equipment required for the Cath Lab.
(Some names have to be changed to protect identity)
