Capital MC runs short of space

Thiruvananthapuram: Mathew, 51, from Pathanapuram, Kollam, admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital following a chest pain can’t wait to get discharged. Mr Mathew was forced to share his bed with a dengue patient in the Ward 2 crammed with hundreds of other patients and bystanders.

“I was admitted last Friday, and I have been sharing my bed with another patient since. Hundreds of patients with various types of diseases are there in this cramped ward. Patients come with one disease and go home with other health issues,” he says.

Though the government decided to enforce the referral system strictly in tertiary hospitals, the plan is yet to get materialised. Patients are flocking the hospitals day and night making it difficult for the authorities to give the nee-ded care for cases requiring expert intervention.

Even minor cases are coming to the Medical College are putting other patients, who need critical care at the receiving end.

The Medical College casualty is dealing an average of 800-1200 cases every day. The gap between demand and availability of beds for patients is so huge that the hospital authorities are forced to accommodate multiple persons in a single bed, and even the ward floor is not spared free.

“People are forced to lie down on the floor due to lack of beds. There are only 72 beds in each ward and being a government hospital we cannot send away any of the patients coming here seeking treatment. Cases ranging from serious head injuries to minor scratch cases come to the casualty every day,” said an official.

Acute staff shortage is making it hard for the hospital authorities. There are only 24 staffs at a time at the casualty.

“As per NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals) norms, the actual requirement of paramedical staffs at the casualty is 160-200. The schedule is hectic, and the workload is too much for everyone working here. Infrast-ructure development alone will not ease the situation here. We need more staffs and new posts,” said the official.

Lack of facilities at secondary hospitals including General Hospital, Taluk hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres, is one of the prime reason for the heavy footfall here.  “Min-or cases are being referred here by the secondary hospitals due to lack of facilities. Every health centre needs speciality care including dialysis units, facilities for angioplasty,” said the official.