Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jan 1: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta paid a surprise visit to the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Hospital in the city today to review its functioning. During the visit, patients present at the hospital shared their grievances with the MP.
It was observed that senior hospital officials were absent during the visit. The MP promptly summoned the officials to the hospital and instructed them to address issues caused by server malfunctions, which were affecting patient services. He also demanded that the officials present reports of complaints received regarding the problems.
Concerns over server issues
Patients complained about the persistent server issues, which have been causing significant delays and inconveniences, particularly for those traveling from distant places. The MP expressed his dissatisfaction, emphasizing that if server issues persist, referral letters to other hospitals must be issued manually instead of online to ensure patients are not inconvenienced.
Issues raised by patients
A relative of a diabetic patient highlighted the difficulties faced due to changes in dialysis token distribution. Earlier, 12 tokens were issued per month for dialysis. However, the system now issues tokens for three months at a time, which are often delayed due to server problems. This has forced many patients to seek treatment at private hospitals, incurring high costs.
Another patient shared their ordeal of traveling long distances to reach the hospital by 8 a.m., only to wait until 5 p.m. due to unresolved server issues. They also pointed out a new rule mandating the presence of patients at the hospital to obtain tokens, which adds to their hardships.
Immediate action taken
During his visit, the MP addressed these concerns directly with the officials and ordered immediate measures to resolve the issues. Necessary documents required by patients were provided on the spot. Capt Chowta assured the patients that steps would be taken to fix the problems in the coming days.
The MP’s prompt action brought relief to the patients, who expressed their gratitude and hope for lasting solutions.