KOCHI: For a top-class medical college, the functioning of the Out-Patient (OP) wing of Government Medical College Hospital, Ernakulam, is dependent on one prominent factor; the timing of private bus services.
Minutes after one of the very few buses reach the hospital, the OP sees a crowd or else it is mostly sparse. Quite a shame considering the hospital won applause from health circles for setting up a 30-bed isolation ward in 24 hours during the recent Nipah outbreak.
Though situated at Kalamassery, the hospital is in a deserted area, the main reason for its poor patronage. While over 8,000 patients visit the OP of Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and over 3,000 at Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, the number is a meagre 900 at the Ernakulam MCH. Not surprising, considering that for these hundreds, mostly from financially poor background, commuting to the hospital itself is a task.
“One factor that stops the hospital from achieving its full potential is the lack of transportation facility. We have brought the issue to the attention of authorities several times. Even during the inauguration of the Cath Lab, we highlighted this issue, but in vain,” said hospital superintendent Dr Peter Vazhayil.
No medical stores, lodges
The road leading to the hospital from HMT Junction is mostly deserted, with little or no shops and amenities needed for a prominent medical facility. Says Sajitha Begum, a bystander of the patient, “For food, the only resort is the hospital canteen. There is no proper lodging facility. And, if we miss the bus service, auto drivers demand Rs 80 from HMT Junction to the hospital.”
The lack of medical shops and laboratories in the vicinity too is an issue. While the hospital has a Karunya Medical Store on its premises, many a time the patients are forced to travel to the Kalamassery Junction to get medicines. The fact that the land nearby is owned by the government stops private parties from setting up such facilities.
Lack of facilities
While the hospital offers several new facilities, including a new Cath Lab and the services of several qualified doctors, the authorities think one reason why they cannot serve more patients is the lack of facilities.
“While we agree the number is too low compared to other medical colleges in the district, we cannot accommodate more due to the lack of facilities. At present, our in-patient wing is saturated and the beds are filled. Many patients opt to sleep on the floor. Unless we get more space, taking in more patients won't be possible,” said Geetha Nair, deputy superintendent of the hospital.
She added, “Though we have full-fledged cardiology, nephrology and paediatric departments, the absence of neurology, gastroenterology and cardiothoracic wings is a major obstacle.”
Staff shortage is also a major issue. “We have informed the Directorate of Medical Education about the staff shortage. We hope things will change once the new super-speciality block, the construction of which is progressing, starts functioning,” said Geetha.
The government has allotted
Rs 285.31 crore for the construction of the eight-storey building which will house the mother and child and super speciality wings. The work is expected to be over by 2020.
According to hospital authorities, unless more PG students are deployed, the medical college can't grow. “A majority of the workforce in most medical colleges are PG students. As of now, we have limited PG courses and only a handful of students. This is an impediment to the growth of the hospital. One reason why we couldn't admit more students is the lack of a MRI facility, which we hope to rectify soon,” said superintendent Dr Vazhayil.
Cancer centre
It was after much campaigning that the nearby Cochin Cancer Research Centre came into being. However, the centre is yet to achieve the desired effect. Though it serves as many as 850 patients a month, it lacks an in-patient facility which is crucial for cancer treatment. According to Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose, director, Cochin Cancer Research Centre, they hope to start the in-patient wing in a month. "Though we provide chemotherapy to patients, the in-patient facility can be started only by July. As for surgeries, we refer them to Ernakulam Medical College Hospital, which has allocated a special ward for us. In a month, we can admit only six patients now. It will be able to admit 20 by December. After the work on the new block is complete, we hope to set up a radiotherapy unit. By then, the centre can achieve its potential," says Dr Kuriakose.