Chennai: Just walk ahead and the doors with sensors open automatically. Don’t get over-impressed by the gizmo. For, the minute you step into the outpatients ward at Madras Veterinary Hospital, Vepery, you will baulk at the untidy environment.
Owing to the impeccable quality of services offered, pet-owners and tamers from different strata of society utilise the assistance of the vets. However, people who visited the hospital just after Deepavali had experiences they would not cherish.
The absence of cleaning attendants has left the hospital in a pitiable state. Data obtained from sources reveal that a total of 62 cases – 47 small animals and five large animals – were attended to on the day of the festival. However, it was learnt that the animals had come with regular conditions like fever and skin allergies.
“It is imperative to disinfect and maintain hygiene in veterinary hospitals. However, it has not been the scenario here since the past several years. Every time I come here, it becomes necessary to remove the fleas and ticks off my dog,” said Kumar, who was there with his eight-year-old dog.
It was learnt that there was only a few vets to attend to the cases both in- and out-patient as also emergency wards.
On any given day, one can spot fecal matter of animals even in the outpatient ward and parking lot. It was informed that a few conservancy workers were granted festival holidays; however, sources from the hospital said they were replaced by eight other workers.
“I was told that the cleaning attendants will be back after two days, but since the weekend is approaching, chances of their taking extended holidays is more and the hospital has to take measures to tidy up the wards regularly as the condition has been the same always,” added Kumar.
“Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene is a challenge in a veterinary hospital, but the workers ensure the excreta or urine is cleared off immediately. There is no such norm regulating that they carry out their duty; they are on their feet all day despite knowing that there is no toilet facility separately for animals,” said a well-placed source from the hospital, denying the complaints raised by the regular visitor.
| STIFF DOSE |
| Kumar, who regularly takes his dog to the Madras Veterinary Hospital in Vepery, stressed the need to stock up on medicines, and said, “A few of the medicines prescribed by the doctors are unavailable in the in-house pharmacy and we need to get it from outside.” When the source was asked about the unavailability of medicines, he said, “We distribute whatever medicines we have as Rs 40 lakh per annum is allotted for buying medicament. However, there are a few equipment like implant, which we ask the caretakers to get from other pharmacies.” |