Unnerving apathy Plagues Government hospitals in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: The government's apathy towards its hospitals continue with no immediate solution in sight. The only Government General Hospital in Kozhikode at beach, which has nearly 3,000 outpatients on a daily basis, is testimony to the government's neglect.  Several outpatient departments in the hospital have been discontinued due to the lack of doctors.

The dermatology OP is now closed as its only doctor is now on leave after she was hospitalised with dengue fever. Similarly, the ENT OP has also been closed as no doctors have been appointed to the department after two senior doctors retired in March.

The dermatology OP used to get more than 250 patients daily, but since March only one doctor has been managing the department as the other one retired.

“This is not the case just at the Beach Hospital, but almost all government hospitals in the state are being run in the same manner. These government hospitals still follow the 1961 staff pattern and no new posts have been created even after adding several new specialties,” Dr K.C. Rameshan, the state treasurer of Kerala Government Medical Officers Association told DC.

The Government General Hospital at Beach has only one anaesthetist although 5 to 6 surgeries are performed in the Gynecology department alone. “Now the hospital can only conduct emergency surgeries as there is only one anesthetist. One doctor cannot handle so many surgeries in a day. We have given several representations asking that vacancies be filled  but nothing has happened so far,” Mr Rameshan added.

The Beach Hospital is the primary centre for speciality care in Kozhikode city and people living in the coastal region and regions nearby are dependent on it.

The hospital at present has only one radiologist and when he goes on leave the radiology department also shuts its doors to patients. Similar is the case with several other departments that have only one or two doctors.

“Not only do we need doctors but nurses and paramedics too. The number of patients has grown phenomenally since 1961 and our hospitals are forced to work with minimum staff strength. Beach Hospital has a sanctioned strength of 53 doctors at present and of them, several posts are vacant, another doctor who is part of this hospital said.
Patients are thus forced to approach private hospitals as the Medical College has become only a referral hospital. The patients are also turned away from primary health centres as most of them have only one doctor and are forced to take care of more than 400 patients a day.