TIRUNELVELI: Doctors and patients from the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) Super Speciality Block have complained that the centralised air conditioner (AC) in the operating theatre (OT) and post-operative wards has not been working for the past 10 days.
A senior doctor working in TvMCH told TNIE that the non-functional AC system has put patients’ lives at risk, with the surgeons’ sweat dripping onto the patient’s organs.
There are six tables in the OT and at least 30 staff, including doctors from various specialities wearing surgical aprons, conduct surgeries at each table. With no ventilation facilities, the OT solely depends on AC, as the National Medical Commission mandated. Some surgeries take five to six hours, as the facility has not been working for the past 10 days, doctors and their support staff are suffering.
Another doctor seeking anonymity said that despite repeated requests to the administration, no action was taken to fix the AC. He alleged that the company appointed to maintain the facility failed to carry out periodic maintenance and repair as per the agreement. The management expects us to pay lakhs of rupees from the money our department receives under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme for the repair works.
Patients in the post-operative ward said, “At least in the OT, we are unconscious and do not feel the pain. However, here in the post-operative ward, we begin to feel the pain. Without an AC, it feels like hell. The hospital administration has provided pedestal fans as a temporary solution. However, the fan only emits hot air during the summer, making it worse.”
When TNIE contacted Dean Dr Revathy Balan, she said repair works began three days ago and the facility has nine motors in total. The service provider will possibly make one unit operational by Wednesday. The PWD is responsible for following up on such works. The building does not have a provision for ceiling fans. However, for now, we have arranged some portable fans for the OT staff.”