Staff crunch hits patient care in Warangal hospital

WARANGAL: The Chanda Kanthaiah Memorial (CKM) Government Maternity Hospital in Warangal is plagued with severe staff crunch, say locals, adding that it has impacted patient care and caused hardships for pregnant women and their families. The lack of amenities is forcing many to seek costly scans and blood tests in private hospitals and diagnostic centres, placing an additional burden on them, they add.

Firstly, the hospital is struggling with a shortage of radiologists and lab technicians, which has led to a backlog and increased pressure on the remaining staff. Consequently, many low-income and middle-class pregnant women are compelled to seek treatment at private hospitals. The influx of patients from north Telangana districts exacerbated the situation.

Deliveries at the CKM hospital have surged compared to previous years, with doctors and staff handling 20 to 30 deliveries and surgeries daily. However, the hospital’s infrastructure remains poor, and vacant posts have not been filled. During the regime of the previous BRS government, the healthcare sector was neglected, the locals said.