Beyond borders and difficult roads, government hospitals in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem keep specialised care going

When Meghana’s family in YSR Kadapa district was told to wait for months for a sinus procedure and private hospitals quoted costs running into lakhs of rupees, they looked beyond Andhra Pradesh for an alternative. They eventually travelled to Yellandu in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana, where a government hospital performed the specialised surgery.

Meghana, a resident of Busireddypalli village in Veerapunayunipalli mandal, had been suffering from severe sinus-related problems and nasal obstruction caused by tissue growth inside her nose. Coming from a financially disadvantaged family headed by a single mother, the prospect of paying lakhs of rupees at a private hospital was difficult for the family.

Hospitals in Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad had advised the family to wait for nearly three months for the procedure. It was through an acquaintance that the family came to know of Bhadradri Kothagudem District Coordinator of Hospital Services (DCHS) Dr G. Ravi Babu, who referred Meghana to the Area Hospital at Yellandu.

At the hospital, ENT specialist Dr. Ravi Tejaswi performed Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS), along with septoplasty, bilateral turbinectomy and middle meatal conchoplasty. The procedures were aimed at treating her sinus disease and relieving the nasal obstruction. “For the family, the treatment offered at a government hospital in a relatively remote part of Telangana meant that they did not have to wait several months or incur the high costs quoted by private hospitals,” said Dr. Ravi Babu.

Mdical team at the Community Health Centre (CHC) Charla conducted eight deliveries within 24 hours recently, including four normal deliveries and four Caesarean sections
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The effort to keep essential healthcare services available in remote areas is also visible at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Charla, in the same district, where the medical team conducted eight deliveries within 24 hours recently, including four normal deliveries and four Caesarean sections. The deliveries were managed by gynaecologist Dr. Sravani, anaesthesiologist Dr. Krishna Prasad, OT team member Sneha, nursing officers Shailaja and Dayamani, Abrar, labour-room nurses and other hospital staff.

The achievement came despite heavy rains in the region over the past three days and difficult road conditions. “The medical team has been travelling nearly 60 km every day to provide maternity services at Charla, ensuring that pregnant women do not have to depend entirely on hospitals located farther away,” Dr Ravi Babu added.

Charla is around 56 km from the Area Hospital at Bhadrachalam, making the availability of local maternity services particularly significant for residents of the remote mandal. The continuation of 24×7 services has also helped improve confidence among local residents in using the government hospital.

Dr. Ravi Babu said that the hospital had earlier faced a shortage of nursing personnel. Following recent recruitment, adequate nursing staff are now available. Doctors were also recruited, although several have not joined duty because of the hospital’s remote location.