CHENNAI: The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) receives hundreds of patients every day from various corners of the State. As a majority of these patients rush to the hospital for emergencies without carrying essential items including clothes, the hospital has invited contributions from volunteers and individuals.
The hospitals had started the ‘Wall of Kindness’ (Anbu Suvar) initiative in December in all the three towers of the hospital to receive contributions of essential items like clothes, bed sheets, towels, tooth brush, tooth paste and soaps from people, to help patients who rush to the hospital without carrying these items. Though many come forward and donate for the wall, there is a need for more donations. On Tuesday, the shelves in all the three towers were almost empty, says Dr E Theranirajan, Dean, RGGGH. “Every day, the hospital registers around 300 to 400 admissions.
So, the requirement for essential items is always there. We need clothes worth at least Rs 3 lakh. There is more demand for dhotis and bed sheets. Many have been contributing, but there is a need for more such essential items,” says Dr Theranirajan. The demand is high as the hospital receives people even from various districts. “Many of them would come without an idea about the nature of their disease or about how long they require hospitalisation.
As many of them are poor patients, they won’t have relatives or support in the city. Many patients and attenders suffer without even clothes to change. There is a demand for nighties, shirts, tooth paste, tooth brushes and soaps, among others,” says S Kannagi, Senior Staff Nurse and in-charge of Wall of Kindness initiative at RGGGH. “Every day at least 50 patients require these essential items. So, we are not able to meet the demand,” says Kannagi.
The hospital also manages essentials for the rehabilitation ward that was inaugurated three months ago. The ward was opened to care for the destitute and abandoned people. “We need bed sheets and clothes for these patients too. There are 21 patients in the ward now. But many philanthropists and volunteers came forward and helped with the essential items for these patients too,” said Kannagi. The Dean said people who would like to contribute these essential items can come even to the Dean’s office and do that.