THOOTHUKUDI: Members of All India Jananayaga Mathar Sangam urged the state government to fill up vacancies at government hospitals to ensure that benefits are available to the public. They surveyed the facilities available at six primary health centres in Mullakadu, Madathur, Ganesh Nagar, Puthiyamputhur, Karungulam, and Erachi and four government hospitals in Udangudi, Srivaikuntam, Ottapidaram and Kayalpattinam, besides the medical college hospital at Thoothukudi headquarters.
Releasing a report of their survey, district secretary P Poomayil said their visit to the PHCs revealed that patients had to pay at least Rs 1,000 for CT scan and MRI scans at private centres, which is otherwise `500 at Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital (TKMCH).
"Patients complained that there is a delay in receiving birth and death certificates along with the lack of bus accessibility to PHCs at Mullakadu, Erachi and Ganesh Nagar. The lack of assistants and sanitary workers in GHs has forced medical staff to do all of the work on their own, which delays the required treatment. Due to absence of emergency treatment wards in the GHs, patients have to be shifted to either Thoothukudi or Tirunelveli medical colleges," said Poomayil.
She also alleged the Udangudi government hospital remains underdeveloped since it is recorded as 'kalankudiyiruppu' hospital, which restricts fund inflow. "The Udangudi hospital has no gynaecologist since 2016. Government employees, who get admitted at Thoothukudi medical college hospital, face a delay in getting treatment due to problems in mode of payment," said Poomayil.
The organisation's district secretary further charged there was no separate rooms for nurses and that there no adequate sitting arrangements for outpatients. Many new mothers had complained about their difficulties to get the benefits for the girl child protection scheme, Poomayil added.