KOCHI: The Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, which registers at least 1,000 outpatient consultations a day, is facing complaints of shortage of medicines, dysfunctional machines and poor administration. Cases of compromised safety, by way of theft of gold ornaments of patients, have added to the worries of those depending on this major healthcare facility in Ernakulam district.
The MCH had recently witnessed significant development with the opening of a superspeciality block and a cancer care centre. While the infrastructure was upgraded during the term of the LDF government, factors like shortage of staff and availability of medicines remains a major concern.
Referring to the death of a person who had undergone surgery following a road accident recently, CPM area committee member Zakhir Hussain said: “The patient collapsed on the day of getting discharged from the hospital.
His relatives lodged a complaint of medical negligence, which the hospital authorities denied. When the patient collapsed while inside the hospital, his family alleged that not a single staff member was present to take him to the critical care unit or administer CPR.”
“This is the current situation of the medical college. If this continues, what will be the fate of the other patients here?”he said.
Meanwhile, an internal enquiry report of MCH had found no lapses on the part of the staff members in the case. On October 7, a case of missing gold ornament was reported at the hospital. The jewellery worn by a three-year-old was stolen by a chain snatcher, who was later arrested by the police.
“Isn’t it a severe breach of safety protocols at the hospital. Poor administration had led to such a situation, of risking public safety,” Hussain added.
MCH superintendent Dr Anoop Joseph responded that the ward entry and exit points and corridors were all equipped with CCTV surveillance and footage of the same was handed over to the police.
For inpatients and bystanders, the lack of staff and shortage of medicines are major problems.
“My son was admitted to the medical college hospital with high diabetes, but the shortage of medicines forced us to purchase some from outside,” said a Kakkanad resident who did not want to be named.
Besides, one of the X-ray machines at the hospital broke down, forcing patients to wait longer to get scans done.
CPM stages protest
The CPM Kalamassery area committee on Monday staged a protest seeking government intervention to fix the administrative lapses at the MCH.
