Kozhikode Medical College Hospital faces severe shortage of nurses

KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode Medical College Hospital has been hit by a severe shortage of  nurses and nursing staff  affecting activities like distribution of   medicines to patients at the charted time. The hospital development committee members on Friday raised the issue before the hospital in-charge, including principal, seeking the appointment of  more  staff members.  

The committee has also urged health department to send a special team  to take  stock of the existing staff  strength in the hospital, especially nursing and nursing assistants. Mr V.C. Sethumadhavan,   committee president, said that the hospital could not   take care of patients in serious condition.  

“We have also demanded  urgent  action  to at least appoint enough nurses and nursing assistants in   wards. It is mainly the patients of the wards starting from 55 to 75 that are facing difficulties. The hospital  has over  170 vacancies  and a similar situation is being faced by Kottaparamba Women and Children Hospital, he added.

The Intensive Care Units (ICUs) has also been hit as no posts were created  though one post of staff nurse for two beds in the ICU is needed. “Administering injections and medicines to patients even in the emergency wards has been hit due to the shortage of personnel,”Mr Sethumadhavan said.