Watch: Rodent video outside Gandhi Hospital raises hygiene concerns

A viral video showing rodents feeding on leftover food outside Gandhi Hospital has raised hygiene concerns. GHMC halted free food distribution near the entrance and launched a sanitation drive after the hospital administration alerted civic authorities.

Hyderabad: A disturbing video footage showing dozens of rodents scurrying for food along the footpath, just outside the entrance gates of Gandhi Hospital, has once again highlighted the struggle to maintain hygiene in high-traffic public zones near government hospitals in Hyderabad.

The video of rodents, apparently fighting over discarded food, also raises concerns over public health safety, especially given the area’s proximity to the State’s premier tertiary medical college and hospital.

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Outside the entrance gates, several social organisations and individuals offer free food to the poor and needy. The food is consumed on the pavements and footpaths located just outside the entrance. Once the free food service is over, leftover food is rarely cleared. As a result, the leftovers become a magnet for rodents and stray dogs.

On noticing the video footage, which was making rounds on multiple social media platforms, senior administration of Gandhi Hospital on Thursday alerted their counterparts at the GHMC. The food distribution at the entrance was subsequently halted by the GHMC authorities and a sanitation drive was launched.

“The video footage is outside the Gandhi Hospital campus. Within the hospital premises, we go to great lengths, including conducting regular anti-pest measures throughout the campus of the medical college and hospital. We have also alerted and urged the GHMC to take immediate measures to address the issue of offering free food to needy patients near the hospital’s entrance gates,” Dr Shobha, Superintendent, Gandhi Hospital, said.