Women and children in Mancherial hospital struggle to beat the heat

While new mothers are depending on handkerchiefs to provide respite to infants from the scorching heat wave conditions, pregnant women are spending sleepless nights.

Mancherial: New mothers and pregnant women admitted to the 330-bedded Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) in the district headquarters are struggling in the scorching heat due to lack of air coolers even as the district is reeling under torrid heat wave conditions.

The district is registering sweltering heat wave conditions for the last few days. The maximum temperature of the district is hovering around 45 degrees.

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Some patients of the MCH situated on the banks of Godavari are carrying mobile fans and compact air coolers to beat the heat and humidity caused by evaporation of water in the river. However, poor patients are facing inconvenience due to the deficiency of air-coolers. New mothers and pregnant women are struggling to handle the heat in the hospital.

While new mothers are depending on handkerchiefs to provide respite to infants from the scorching heat wave conditions, pregnant women are spending sleepless nights.

“It is a nightmarish experience to stay in the hospital in summer. I bought a compact cooler to beat the heat. However, many new mothers and pregnant women may not afford to carry a fan or air cooler. Officials should take steps to find a solution to this problem,” M Soujanya, a new mother from Gadderagadi in Kyathanpalli told ‘Telangana Today.’

When asked, MCH superintendent Dr P Harishchandra Reddy said general and post operative wards were equipped with sufficient fans, but air coolers were not provided as per norms. He conceded that some patients were carrying mobile fans and compact air coolers as they were unable to beat the heat.

Officials said 50 air conditioning machines, sanctioned to the hospital were being used in Intensive Care Units, CT Scan, Laboratories, Operation Theatres, X ray, Special Newborn Care Units and offices of Superintendent and other important officials. Some of the machines develop snags at regular intervals.

Posts of AC technicians are lying vacant.