Karnataka Women's Commission Chairperson Pulls Up Belagavi Hospital Officials

Karnataka State Women's Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Choudhary on Monday inspected the district hospital in Belagavi and expressed strong displeasure over the state of facilities, particularly in the maternity ward. She directed officials to address the shortcomings without delay.

During her visit, Dr. Choudhary noted that pregnant women arriving for delivery often face procedural hurdles, being shuttled between departments for paperwork and blood tests. She described this as a serious issue requiring immediate remedial action from the concerned authorities.

The chairperson also observed that the maternity ward had only one toilet for patients, and that cleanliness was inadequate, causing hardship for both patients and their attendants. She stressed that hospital staff have a duty to ensure a respectful and safe environment for all women seeking treatment.

Dr. Choudhary instructed medical officers to take necessary steps to eliminate inconvenience for patients. She reiterated that health is a fundamental right and assured that complaints regarding women's issues at the hospital would be resolved expeditiously.

She also spoke about the safety of women employees in government departments, stating that any form of harassment or oppression would not be tolerated. She encouraged women facing such issues to file complaints with the commission or the police, promising strict legal action against the guilty.

A delegation from the organisation 'Movement for Gender and Sexual Pluralism' submitted a memorandum to the chairperson, seeking action against administrative lapses and lack of basic facilities in taluk hospitals across the district.

Senior officials, including Police Commissioner Prakash Nikkam, BIMS Hospital director Vinaya Dastikoppa, and district surgeon Jagadeesh, were present during the inspection.