Only a Bed and the Doctor? Volgograd Patients Complain of Supply Shortages

After patients at KB SMP No. 15 (Clinical Hospital for Emergency Medical Care) in the Krasnoarmeysky District claimed that medical staff were forcing them to pay money for vital medications, dressings, and infusion therapy materials, Volgograd residents have begun reporting similar cases in almost all city hospitals. Judging by reports from V1.RU readers, not everyone is «lucky,» and sometimes patients and their relatives are required to bring even the most obvious items — bandages, syringes, and cotton wool.

Some complaints came from the Krasnoarmeysky District, particularly from the same KB SMP No. 15 — in the neurology department, according to a relative of one patient, there is sometimes not even iodine.

— In February I was admitted to «Kaustik» with pain, — a V1.RU reader said. — They determined I needed surgery to remove my gallbladder. They said they would perform laparoscopy. Before it, they came to me and said I needed to buy saline solution, syringes, and some other medicines. I asked: surely the hospital has saline solution, syringes — basic things? They said no, and didn«t explain why. What was I to do? I might not have money either. Well, they said, if you have no money, then instead of laparoscopy we»ll cut you open (meaning open surgery. — Ed.), and that«s it. Like it or not, I had to buy all this stuff.

Due to expenses not only for medical procedures but also for consumables, some have to pay substantial sums for their hospital stay.

— In December 2024 my mother broke her hip, — a V1.RU reader said. — They said she would need surgery. The junior medical staff literally hand out printed sheets to everyone with a list: garbage bags, bandages, syringes, gloves, saline solutions, diapers. Basically, they provide only a bed and the doctor«s hands. The doctor was wonderful, but the junior staff — it»s awful. I had to do everything myself. Mom was non-ambulatory and always wet, even though diapers were always available — they just didn«t change them until you started making a scene. In total, for a month»s stay, 300,000 rubles were spent (about $3,200 at current rates), including the cost of the surgery and prosthesis.

While some encounter such situations once, patients undergoing periodic treatment are forced to regularly go through various collections:

— I get treatment at a day hospital every six months. All patients bring disposable infusion sets, saline solution, adhesive tape, their own bed linen, and medicines. I am going to ask the president about this on 19 December, — a determined V1.RU reader reported.

One V1.RU reader shared a list which, she said, was given to her in the emergency room of KB SMP No. 15. The woman added that she bought almost everything on the list — «What choice did I have?»

However, residents of the Krasnoarmeysky District are complaining not only about KB SMP No. 15:

— A couple of years ago in Krasnoarmeysky, Hospital No. 16 performed surgery in the purulent surgery department — I had an abscess on my chest, — a V1.RU reader shared. — The duty doctor performed the surgery, left me on day hospital. Then a nurse brought a sheet with what needed to be bought. It had everything: syringes of two calibers for injections, bandages, antiseptic green dye, wipes, and much more.

Not all former hospital patients are eager to blame the doctors for everything. Some consider medical staff to be as much victims of the situation as the patients:

— Whether it was KB SMP No. 15 a couple of years ago or Hospital No. 16, I was admitted to therapy and purulent surgery with my own medications, syringes, adhesive tape, iodine. I don«t know how it is now, but in purulent surgery at that time there were good doctors working. There were more good impressions than negative ones. I don»t think doctors are misappropriating supplies; most likely they are often hostages of such situations themselves.

Relatives of patients from the Dzerzhinsky District also complained about a similar problem:

— It«s like that everywhere. My grandfather was in Hospital No. 25 in 2022. He had a spinal and ischemic stroke. The doctor said we needed to buy saline solution, infusion sets for drips, syringes, injection medicines. I went and bought everything. To the question »why don«t you have medicines,» they answered: «That»s not a question for us.« I tried to object, but was told: »You need treatment, don«t you?» Just for two weeks, almost 20,000 rubles (about $210 at current rates) were spent on medicines.

The problem has also affected residents of the Traktorozavodsky District:

— I was in Hospital No. 4 in the summer, in the endocrinology department. The doctor said there were no medicines. If you want — buy them, and we«ll administer the drip. I bought saline solution and the medicine — everything else was from the hospital, — a Volgograd woman writes. — I brought it to the doctor and also wrote a statement to the head doctor asking to be treated with my own medicine. This statement was in one copy, it remained with the head doctor. According to the staff themselves, the hospital has more than enough medicines, but the head doctor gave such an order. Who will believe and check?

This state of affairs brings some V1.RU readers back to the past and makes them think about problems with funding for medical institutions.

— This was the case in the «90s. For the maternity hospital, you had a whole bag — gauze, syringes, cotton wool, painkillers, infusion sets, and more. For the hospital you also had to bring your own medicines, blankets, syringes. Apparently, now the state also has no money.

At the same time, several V1.RU readers continue to call for understanding towards doctors who, they say, are not to blame.

— I was hospitalized with COVID-19 in late August 2021, in another hospital, in another district. The doctor also approached everyone and asked, if possible, to buy medicines for blood clots, hormones, antibiotics. I personally understood, but many rebelled and had hysterics. What can doctors do if medicines are not delivered and purchased on time? Of course, by law, they should note in the medical history that due to supply disruptions, the patient was offered to purchase medicinal drugs at their own expense, list the drugs. The patient could not purchase them, their condition worsened. But unfortunately, all doctors are afraid to do this.

Recall that earlier the V1.RU editorial board requested the regional health committee to comment on the situation at KB SMP No. 15, and the department firmly refuted the patients« statements, assuring that all consumables are available in the hospital:

— The hospital administration refutes the information presented in the appeal. The hospital has all the necessary consumable materials, including medicinal drugs in sufficient quantity, — the regional health department assured.

The V1.RU editorial board is requesting the regional health department to also comment on the situation, as described by residents, in other Volgograd hospitals. In addition, the editorial board has sent an official written request to the prosecutor«s office of the Volgograd Region asking for an inspection of the medical institutions mentioned in the report.