Septuagenarian carried on a chair to conduct various tests at K.R. Hospital; irked MLA K. Harishgowda takes Dean, Medical Superintendent to task

Mysore/Mysuru: Krishna Rajendra (KR) Hospital, popular as Doddaspatre in this part of the region, is in news again for wrong reasons, that holds mirror to the continued apathy of the authorities concerned and the patients, who are made to suffer in silence.

The case in point this time is, lack of a wheelchair to take elderly patients irrespective of in-patient and outpatient department, within the Hospital. This came to fore, when the relatives of an elderly woman had to carry her on a plastic chair for treatment yesterday.

The 76-year-old Sumathi from Bannimantap here was unwell and her family members had brought her to K.R. Hospital. Following first aid at the Emergency, the doctors referred a few tests for her, to be conducted in different departments of the Hospital.

However, the wheelchair was not available to take her for the tests. Unfazed family members of Sumathi, carried her for conducting different tests. However, what they badly needed was a wheelchair to take her to ENT Department with ease. The only wheelchair they could spot was locked with one of its wheels tied to a cot with a chain.

The doctor attending on her also told the nurse to arrange a wheelchair for her, but all the efforts went in vain. Even after waiting for 30 minutes, they could not get a wheelchair. With no option left, the woman’s relatives requested the doctor to spare the plastic chair and the latter readily consented.

As the video of the incident went viral, Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda, who came across the heart-rending incident, called Dr. K.R. Dakshayani, Dean and Director of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI), the umbrella body of K.R. Hospital and its Medical Superintendent Dr. H.P. Shobha, and took them to task. The MLA rushed to the hospital and insisted that wheelchairs be made available to the patients at the hospital.

Meanwhile, high drama was witnessed, as Dr. Shobha, who had to face the wrath of the MLA again, offered to quit the job, speaking in a choked tone and started walking away. The MLA tried to convince her by saying that, the problem won’t be solved with her resignation. Instead, the duty has to be discharged with responsibility without giving room for any dejection while on job, he said.

Amid this, the MLA learnt about wheelchairs lying idle in a room, but when he reached the room, the door was found locked. Nobody knew about the key to open the lock and the staff there had to break open the paddock with a stone. To the utter shock of those present, the wheelchairs and stretchers were found inside, but not to put to use.

The reason behind this gross mismanagement was the unruly ward boys and attendants outsourced through an agency, who care a hoot to carry out instructions of doctors and the staff. The MLA directed the authorities to replace the agency with a new one to address the situation.