NAGAPATTINAM: A one-day hunger strike was held at Auri Thidal near Perarignar Anna Bus Stand on Wednesday, demanding the restoration of emergency care services to the erstwhile district government headquarters hospital in the town.
Protesters said the hospital, which previously functioned as the district headquarters hospital, now provides only maternity and outpatient services with limited staff and facilities, and emergency cases are referred to Nagapattinam Medical College Hospital in Orathur.
Protesters wanted the services to be restored to the hospital to ensure emergency care to residents of nearby areas.
“The district headquarters hospital had functioned in Nagapattinam for around 110 years before a medical college hospital was established in Orathur, about 10 km beyond the Nagapattinam municipal and Assembly constituency limits,” said MGK Nizamudeen, Nagapattinam Ex-MLA.
“Citing regulations that a district hospital should not continue in a town where a medical college has been established, the hospital was shifted to Vedaranyam. The medical college itself was not established within Nagapattinam constituency limits,” Nizamudeen claimed.
The relocation of the hospital to Vedaranyam, in 2024, left Nagapattinam town without key medical facilities, including accident care and emergency treatment, the protesters said.
“People from Nagapattinam, Nagore, Thirumarugal, Thittacherry and parts of Nagapattinam panchayat union, particularly pregnant women, accident victims and economically disadvantaged residents, have to travel around 10 km to access emergency medical care. This has caused considerable hardship, particularly at night,” said SR Tamilselvan, another protester.
Nizamudeen said shifting a hospital that had served the town for 110 years in the name of a medical college located outside Nagapattinam had caused immense hardship to residents.
The protesters demanded that the government restore and operate the district hospital at its original location, without removing any facility at the hospital in Vedaranyam.
A large number of people, including advocates, traders, representatives of various associations and members of the public, participated in the protest.
Collector K J Praveen Kumar told TNIE the issue will be looked into.