Vijayawada: In a significant administrative development, 22 staff members at NTR Hospital in Anakapalle — including the former District Coordinator of Health Services (DCHS), nine doctors, and 12 nurses — are facing disciplinary action following revelations of gross misconduct and negligence during an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) inspection.
Former DCHS, Doctors, Nurses Named in ACB Report
The ACB report, submitted in June 2025 after a surprise inspection in February 2020, accused the former DCHS of failing to enforce staff attendance and neglecting supervisory duties. Nine doctors were flagged for medical negligence, while twelve nurses were found guilty of overexposing patients, maintaining poor hygiene, not preparing diet charts, and failing to document medications properly.
Wide-Ranging Irregularities: From Hygiene to Fuel Misuse
The ACB team uncovered several systemic lapses during the inspection. These included:
- Unauthorized operation of hospital canteens
- Irregularities in civil works
- Inadequate food quality monitoring
- Failure to disclose meal details for patients
- Neglect of assigned hospital duties
Additionally, a hospital driver was accused of misusing fuel worth Rs 74,000, and a sanitation worker was found illegally performing medical dressing tasks without authorization.
Health Minister Orders Swift Probe, Reiterates Zero Tolerance
Reacting to the findings, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav ordered an immediate inquiry and stressed the need for disciplinary measures. “This government has a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption and administrative inefficiency,” he told TNIE. He termed the ACB report a “stark reminder of systemic failures” and reaffirmed his commitment to overhaul public healthcare governance.
Statewide Reforms Already Underway
In recent months, the Andhra Pradesh government has been actively reassigning underperforming medical staff, including hospital superintendents, medical college principals, and clerical personnel, in a broader effort to streamline health services. Field officers, especially District Medical and Health Officers (DMHOs), have been instructed to enforce accountability, ensure the implementation of health schemes, and monitor day-to-day hospital operations more rigorously.
