KOCHI: Lack of proper medical facilities and infrastructure in the government-run hospitals and health centers across the state is forcing people to approach private multi-specialty institutions. Middle and lower class families are the worst hit.
“It’s not that I want to go to private hospitals for treatment. But we are forced to go. If we go to a government hospital, chances are high that the doctors won’t be there. Even some of the facilities won’t be working. Another problem is the delay in getting the treatment,” complains Lekshmikutty, a 60-year-old woman.
Recently, the Government Medical College at Kalamassery was in the news for the death of Shamna Thasneen, a medical student. According to her parents, they were forced to shift her to a private hospital from the Medical College. The hospital does not have any proper facilities, alleged her father.
The Co-operative Medical College was taken over by the state government from the Co-operative Academy of Professional Excellence in 2013. But till date the hospital does not even have a full-time cardiologist. This is just one among the many ill-equipped government facilities in the state.
“Many a times the doctor won’t be there. In the case of any emergency, we can’t be sure that the required facilities will be there. Also, the hygiene is really pathetic at these hospitals,” said Mathew Ambalakadav, a middle age man who prefers private hospitals over the government-run ones during emergencies.
“Many of these hospitals ail from a wide range of problems pertaining to facilities available. While some suffer from lack of doctors and staff or required equipment, others lack hygiene such as proper waste disposal facility. Each case should be studied carefully and distinctively,” said an official on condition of anonymity. P Rajeev MP recently in a Facebook post raised the issue of the exploitation of this situation by private hospitals. He also urged the state government to provide better facilities at the government hospitals. This will work towards helping the common man, he added.