3 hours Ago By Express News Service
BENGALURU: Acting on frequent complaints about mismanagement, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice BS Patil and Upalokayukta Justices KN Phaneendra and B Veerappa conducted a surprise inspection at KC General Hospital in Malleswaram on Friday. The inspection revealed several serious issues affecting the functioning of one of Bengaluru’s key government hospitals. The Lokayukta’s investigation began after complaints from the public highlighted irregularities in hospital operations.
The inspection revealed that the hospital staff had allegedly been demanding bribes to admit patients. Recently, a pregnant woman was reportedly denied immediate admission for delivery late at night, and was asked for a bribe. When her husband could not pay, her ‘Mother and Child Protection Card’ was taken away, causing further delays.
This incident was confirmed during questioning of nurses and other staff. Doctors were found arriving late for duty. By 10am, only one doctor was present, although five were scheduled to start work at 9am.
Patients alleged that doctors routinely prescribed medicines to be purchased from pharmacies outside, despite the hospital having these medicines in stock. When questioned, the Medical Superintendent could not provide clear answers. The inspection also uncovered severe shortage in staff, with only three patients admitted to the hospital’s 10 special rooms due to a lack of personnel.
Many surgical beds purchased during the Covid-19 pandemic were lying unused. The pharmacy operations were also found to be irregular. Medicines marked as unavailable in the register were present during a physical check, and expired medicines had not been disposed of.
The pharmacy operated only between 9am and 4pm, leaving patients struggling to get medicines during emergencies. Hygiene and infrastructure were in a deplorable state. Moreover, the paediatric intensive care unit had only one functioning ventilator, and key equipment such as the ECG machine in the maternity ward and Doppler testing devices were not operational.
Drinking water facilities were also insufficient, and only one toilet was available for around 1,500 to 1,750 patients. The Lokayukta noted the absence of a mandatory nameplate displaying the Lokayukta helpline number, as required in government offices, and ordered a detailed investigation by a team of judicial and police officials to prepare a comprehensive report. Justice Patil assured the public that the complaints would be investigated thoroughly, and necessary steps taken to ensure accountability and improve conditions at the hospital.
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