TIRUCHY: To ease difficulties of patients who currently have to travel for 1.5 km to the main hospital building for several check-ups, the administration of the Government Headquarters Hospital in Manapparai has proposed adding two more floors to its Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) Centre. This move aims to accommodate paediatric care and expand pregnancy-related services under one roof.
The Comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care (CEmONC) centre is presently functioning in a ground-plus-one structure with around 50 beds. The hospital has sought two additional floors, which would take the building to G+3 and provide space for additional beds, a paediatric ward and other maternity-related services, hospital sources said.
The centre handles around 250 deliveries a month, and the existing bed strength is considered inadequate to meet the demand. The hospital is looking to increase the capacity to around 60-70 beds, sources said.
The proposed expansion is particularly significant for pregnant women, as several check-ups required during antenatal care are currently carried out at the main hospital building, located around 1.5 km from the CEMONC centre. Though ultrasound facilities are available at the centre, women requiring anomaly scans and certain other pregnancy-related scans have to travel to the main building, sources said.
The movement can be difficult for women requiring repeated investigations, particularly those with complications, as they may have to be transported between the two facilities. Bringing more services into the CEMONC building would enable doctors to assess pregnant women and newborns closer to the maternity facility and reduce such movement. Manapparai GH Chief Medical Officer Dr P S Tamilmani said the hospital had already informed the district administration about the requirement for additional infrastructure.
The additional floors would help accommodate paediatric care and other services and allow the hospital to expand its facilities in line with future requirements, she said.
Social worker Mohamed Hussain in Manapparai said the shortage of beds and the need to access services in the main building were causing difficulties for patients. “More beds are needed, considering the number of deliveries handled every month. If the required maternity, paediatric and diagnostic services are available in the same building, pregnant women will not have to be shifted for every check-up,” he said.
A social worker VP Shankar said strengthening the CEMONC centre would benefit people from Manapparai and surrounding areas. “Having the essential services in one place would make treatment easier for patients and reduce the need to travel between the two buildings,” he said.