KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital lacks sufficient number of staff although over 2000 patients affected with fever and other diseases seek medical aid at the OP counter daily. The existing staff members have been struggling to treat the thousands of fever cases that have been referred to the MCH during this rainy season. The health department has not revised the staff pattern since 1961 leading to lack of vacancies in various departments.
The hospital development committee members on Thursday raised the issue before the hospital in-charge, including principal, seeking the appointment of more personnel. At present, the MCH is shifting staff, including nurses and attendants, from one department to the other to tackle the patients’ rush.
“As per the staff pattern of 1961, there are 317 vacancies allotted for the Institute of Maternity and Child Centre and 247 staff at Medical College Hospital,” said N. Rajan, hospital development committee member. “We require a minimum of 800 nursing staff for the smooth functioning of the centre, but the vacancies are 317, in which only 75 percent are fixed,” he added.
At the initiative of the hospital development committee, a few more nursing staff and assistants were appointed on contract basis. The staff at the dialysis, laboratory and OP centres are trying hard to cope with the rush and are under heavy work pressure.
The previous government had fixed a patient- nurse ratio of 1:4 which was later amended to 1: 3, but the hospital could not keep this ratio due to staff shortage, he pointed out. According to N.P. Priyesh, a recent visitor to MCH, a patient has to wait for several hours to get medical aid. “The OP line goes beyond the limit most of the days,” he said. Hundreds of patients wait in the long queue to meet the doctor, he said.
Will solve the crises: Minister K K Shailaja
Health Minister K.K. Shailaja visited Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital last week to study its problems. After talking to the officials, including the department heads, and union leaders, she said the staff pattern being followed in the hospital had led to the staff shortage.
She told DC that the government was keen to improve the health services in the state and that priority would be given to the MCH. “The meeting decided that doctors who complete post-graduation will have to compulsorily work in government sector at least for three years,” she said. The vacant posts of KMCH will be filled soon, she said.
