CHENNAI: Only a month has passed since its inauguration, but the new Government District Headquarters Hospital in Tambaram has started showing symptoms of neglect, with lack of essential amenities and staff shortage putting strain on most services.
When the officials say the hospital, built at a cost of `110 crore and inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin on August 9, now records a daily footfall of over 2,500 outpatients and inpatients, including more than 100 pregnant women, the patients rue that they are struggling with inadequate and unhygienic toilet facilities on almost all six floors.
On the ground floor, which houses the Outpatient Department and the pharmacy, toilets for both men and women remain in poor condition. “I have admitted my son here. Of the three bathrooms on the ground floor, only one is usable. Most of the time, there is no water.
There is no mug either,” said Rajeshwari, an attender, to TNIE. Long queues were found outside the pharmacy with only two staff tasked with issuing medicines. A 59-year-old Muniyammal from Mudichur said that the average wait time outside the pharmacy was half an hour when the consultation itself lasted only ten minutes.
With a few functional women’s toilets and long queues, some women said they are often left with no option but to use the men’s toilets, “which at least have water and mugs”. TNIE also witnessed the struggle of a patient, who vomited in the basin, with no means to clean up.
On the second floor, which houses the operation theatre, labour ward and antenatal ward, patients said there is no drinking water facility. This forces many daily-wage workers to buy water from outside. “I work as a construction labourer and earn `800 a day. I came here for my wife’s delivery, but there is no drinking water on the floor. I spend over `180 a day for buying water from outside,” said Ponnaiyan, an attendant.
Food served in the labour ward is also reportedly delayed - breakfast came only by 11 am and lunch by 2 pm, the patients said. In addition, the hospital lacks wheelchairs and stretchers - an elderly injured man had to be carried by his family members, another disturbing scene seen by TNIE .
The registration centre for persons with disabilities is not wheelchair-friendly, and several toilets built for them lack water, cleanliness and even mugs. On some floors, toilets have been built without washbasins.
Hospital sources said the facility requires at least 100 staff nurses but currently has only 60, many of whom are on deputation. The hospital also requires over 50 housekeeping workers but has only 17 at present. “They blame us for the condition of the toilets, but some floors don’t have water connection at all. How can we clean them?” said a worker on condition of anonymity.
When contacted, the hospital’s chief superintendent said the administration has already written to the government seeking more staff nurses. “We are addressing the toilet issues. Sometimes miscreants steal mugs, buckets and pipes. We are gradually fixing these problems. Food in the labour ward is being provided on time, but if there are delays, we will rectify them. The other issues will also be resolved soon,” the official added.