Problems galore at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital casualty

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Notwithstanding the claims of government about upgrading casualty services to the level of emergency medicine department of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, the ground situation in Trivandrum medical college is pathetic. While the reason often handed out by authorities concerned about the pitiable conditions at the medical college casualty is unprecedented rush of patients which is indisputable of course, the fact that even basic facilities are not being put in place  speak volumes about the total neglect. The lone ECG machine attached to the medicine casualty caters to hundreds of patients daily. Many patients especially diabetic and elderly having suspected cardiac condition, have to go for repeat ECG twice or thrice after an interval of two to three hours.

The entire patient load is handled by a lone ECG technician. In the event of arrival of patients with heart attacks who need immediate revival are rushed to resuscitation room. The technician follows the patient with ECG machine adding to the wait list. Of the two bathrooms at the casualty one remains locked all the time. As a result patients especially the elderly have to face a harrowing time. The observation room at the medical college which has about 20-25 beds are chock-a-block all the time. The bed strength remains the same since past many years. Most patients have to either share the bed with others or lie on the floor. About nursing care the less said is the better.

But amid all this chaos, house surgeons and junior doctors stand out maintaining utmost professionalism while manning the casualty. It takes just two to three minutes to reach out to a patient who arrives in casualty. House surgeons who keep moving in the room do not allow any patient to remain unattended for more than a couple of minutes.  A good amount of time is spent on each patient, recording history, getting BP, sugar, blood tested and ECGs done. From cases of severe headache to drowsiness, high fever, chest pain, cough, pain related issues, hypoglycemia almost all come to the medicine casualty which also reflects the poor referral system.

Once you get all details, test reports, the duty medical officer takes a call on each case. Many say health minister K K Shailaja who tom toms about crores of rupees being pumped into health sector as part of Ardram Mission, clearly needs to take a look at the pathetic state of affairs in the existing set up. "We need to dare the health minister and other ministers to spend an hour in the casualty in disguise to understand what a patient undergoes here," said a patient's attendant.

While it is difficult to keep everything in order in a casualty which caters to hundreds of people mostly emergency cases 24/7, many believe that the government needs to take urgent steps to improve the situation. Adding more ECG machines, beds, ensuring cleanliness, prompt nursing care, additional toilets are issues that do not require huge financial commitment. However, it needs good management. MCH officials claim things would be better when the new emergency medicine department comes into being.