An ILL Hospital (TB, HIV+, Leprosy Patients Share Ward)

[Guest guest]

Chandrapur: The civil hospital here is treating patients suffering from communicable diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy in the same ward as the regular patients. The lack of facilities and infrastructure is so great that even HIV+ patients are lodged in the general wards, leading to their HIV+ status becoming an open secret, and exposing their weak immune systems to highly contagious diseases. 

The hospital authorities says that lack of FSI is preventing them from building more wards to house patients. A peep into the records of General Medicine Ward No. 1 for males at the civil hospital revealed that 646 patients were treated here in August. Out of these, 39 were HIV+ and 14 were suffering from tuberculosis. Similarly, 22 HIV+ and 25 tuberculosis patients were among the 582 patients treated in September. Similar situation prevails in Medicine Ward No. 5 for women patients. 

There is no special ward for HIV or leprosy patients since many years. The tuberculosis patients are being treated in the general ward since the last few months, after the TB hospital at Ramnagar was shut down. Medical experts have said that this practice is very risky, as there is possibility of others getting infected with the contagious diseases. HIV+ patients have weaker immunity and they are very susceptible to such diseases. Hence, their presence near those having tuberculosis escalates the risk, id due care is not taken, " said experts

Civil surgeon Dr. Ramesh Bandebuche admitted there was a problem, but there was no other option. He said that civil hospital has ample funds to build separate wards, however the plans are not being cleared by the Municipal Council. " The council and town planner say we have utilized available FSI and they cannot allow any constructions now, " he said. 

Source: Times of India, Saturday, October 2, 2010 (Times City, Page 8), Nagpur - Mazhar Ali, TNN