NAGAPATTINAM: Over a thousand people protested in front of Nagapattinam Town General Hospital (GH) on Thursday against the shifting of various medical services to the Medical College Hospital in Orathur.
Despite clarifications issued by the district and the hospital administration in Nagapattinam on Wednesday that basic emergency services would continue at Nagapattinam GH, residents expressed scepticism and went ahead with a planned demonstration.
‘Vanigar Nala Peramaipu’ (a confederate of traders associations) led the protest demanding to retain the emergency services at the GH. Criticisms have been surfacing for over a week after various departments of medical services were shifted from the general hospital in the town to the medical college hospital in Orathur as the GH was more accessible for those in Nagapattinam town.
Hundreds of fisherfolk from the neighbouring villages, auto-rickshaw drivers, van drivers, mechanics, traders, lawyers, and social activists also took part in the protest. With traffic in the area affected, police officials pacified the protesters, following which they dispersed. S Solaiyappan, the president of Vanigar Nala Peramaipu said, “We held the demonstration to ensure that the basic emergency services always remain at the general hospital in future.”