Protest at Hyderabad’s Niloufer Hospital as survey highlights bed shortages, poor sanitation and irregularities

Pregnant women waiting for hours on chairs, multiple patients sharing beds and overflowing toilets were among the problems flagged by the Progressive Youth League (PYL) during a survey of the government-run Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad. The organisation staged a protest outside the hospital demanding immediate intervention by the authorities.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to Niloufer Hospital Superintendent Dr. Vijay Kumar, listing 12 issues identified during a three-day survey conducted by the PYL between October 27 and 29.

Addressing the gathering, POW State president D. Swarupa, PYL Greater Hyderabad president B.S. Krishna and secretary Kolluru Bimesh said the survey had brought to light several shortcomings in patient care and hospital infrastructure. They alleged that pregnant women were being made to wait for hours on chairs due to a shortage of beds, while two to three patients were sometimes accommodated on a single bed.

They also highlighted the lack of basic facilities for patient attendants, alleging that two floors of a three-storey waiting facility remained locked, leaving attendants with limited space to rest. They further pointed out the absence of adequate toilets and drinking water facilities. The survey also flagged poor sanitation in the hospital, with the protesters alleging that toilets in both the old and new blocks were poorly maintained, with overflowing sewage and foul odour raising concerns about the spread of infections.

Raising concerns over alleged irregularities in hospital services, the PYL and POW members claimed that some staff members were demanding money from patients. The organisations also alleged that patients were being referred to private diagnostic laboratories for certain medical tests that should be available at the hospital, resulting in high out-of-pocket expenses.

The protesters also questioned the availability and pricing of medicines, alleging that patients were not receiving all prescribed medicines and that the AMRIT medical outlet was charging higher prices for certain drugs despite claims of offering medicines at discounted rates. They further sought an investigation into allegations that expensive medicines and injections meant to be distributed free of cost were being diverted and sold to private medical shops. The memorandum also called for an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of outsourced staff and financial misappropriation.

Other demands included improving parking facilities, ensuring the quality of meals provided to patients under the ₹5 meal scheme, installing signboards indicating meal distribution points and filling all vacant posts in the hospital.