A worrying trend has emerged in government hospitals where patients are being forced to hire private attendants at about Rs 2,000 per day, including meals. Even private hospitals, which already collect nursing fees, allow this practice. This raises an important question ” what are nurses for? These attendants often occupy open spaces and create problems related to hygiene and safety. There have also been reports of theft. Hospitals have strict visiting hours to maintain cleanliness and ensure patient privacy, but this rule is being ignored. The State Government, the Health Minister, and hospital authorities must act quickly to stop this unethical practice. If hospitals are short of staff, they should appoint more nurses to ensure proper patient care. Patients should not be made to pay extra for what should be a basic hospital service. Such practices are not seen in developed countries, where even the number of visitors is carefully controlled.
