TIRUCHY: Patients and attendants at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) are facing persistent hardship due to the absence of a permanent ATM within the hospital premises, forcing many to step out of the campus and often walk a few kilometres to withdraw cash for daily needs. The problem is most acutely felt by families from rural areas who remain in the hospital for several days during treatment.
Attendants of postnatal mothers and newborns said they require regular cash for essentials such as milk, biscuits, medicines, food, and local travel. “If we run out of money, we have to call relatives to transfer some amount digitally and then go outside the campus to withdraw it. At night, we are unable to step out due to dog menace and sometimes the ATMs also run out of cash.” said an attendant of a newborn admitted at the hospital.
MGMGH, one of the largest government hospitals in central Tamil Nadu, has over 1,500 beds and sees a footfall of more than 5,000 people everyday, including patients, attendants and vendors. Despite this, the hospital currently depends on mobile ATM vans that operate only during daytime on select days, usually stationed near the entrance, offering no assurance of round-the-clock access to cash. Several patients pointed out that cash remains the dominant mode of transaction for many rural families, particularly elderly patients and daily-wage earners who are unfamiliar with digital payment platforms or lack access to smartphones.
Hospital authorities acknowledged the issue and said the delay in setting up a permanent ATM was due to space constraints and legal considerations. “We are examining the matter in consultation with legal experts. Till then, we can continue to allow mobile ATM vans from approved banks, with the advice of the collector and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research,” the official said.
The need is expected to grow sharper as MGMGH prepares to open a new healthcare facility being built at a cost of `110 crore, which is likely to significantly increase patient admissions, attendant stay duration, and overall crowd movement within the campus. CPI functionary Ibrahim said the lack of a permanent ATM had become “an avoidable daily ordeal rather than a mere infrastructural gap” for patients already navigating illness and uncertainty.