Upalokayukta pulls up hospital, civic body over lapses in Kodagu

Upalokayukta Justice K.N. Phaneendra conducted surprise inspections of the district hospital, a public park, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KoIMS) students’ hostel in Madikeri and directed officials to improve public service delivery and rectify administrative lapses.

At the KoIMS District Hospital on Saturday (July 4), Justice Phaneendra inspected toilets, sanitation, medicine distribution and food facilities, besides interacting with in-patients and out-patients. He enquired whether medicines were being supplied by the hospital or patients were being asked to purchase them from outside.

Patients told him that medicines and other facilities were being provided by the hospital and that they were not being issued outside prescriptions.

Inspecting bed sheets, wards and attendance registers, the Upalokayukta expressed displeasure over the irregular maintenance of attendance records, pointing out that some staff members had failed to sign the register.

He directed hospital authorities to maintain attendance, case records and movement registers properly, ensure timely treatment for patients and avoid issuing prescriptions for medicines to be purchased outside. If any medicine is unavailable, the hospital should procure and supply it to patients, he said.

While inspecting the general wards and the women and children’s wards, Justice Phaneendra stressed the need for better sanitation and instructed doctors to adhere to duty schedules to prevent public complaints.

During his visit to a park on Dasavala Road under the Madikeri City Municipal Council, the Upalokayukta found biomedical waste dumped inside the premises and expressed strong displeasure.

Although the site was identified as a public park by a name board, it had effectively been converted into a vehicle parking area. He directed civic authorities to either restore the park or remove the name board, besides ordering action against those responsible for dumping biomedical waste.

At the Regional Transport Office, Justice Phaneendra reviewed the maintenance of registers, vehicle registration, licence issuance and tax collection, and instructed officials to ensure hassle-free services for the public.

Later, he inspected the KoIMS students’ hostel, including the kitchen and food facilities, and asked students to bring any grievances to the authorities’ notice, assuring them that genuine issues would be taken up with the government.

During his visit to the boys’ hostel, he directed authorities to secure electrical wiring and switch boxes to prevent accidents.

Students highlighted problems such as inadequate water supply, the lack of clothes-drying facilities, rainwater seepage into rooms during heavy showers, the absence of a library and the need for a playground. Justice Phaneendra assured them that their demands would be brought to the government’s attention.