As part of the ongoing process to improve the conditions of ward 9 in the General Hospital, which houses destitute patients, four women inmates were shifted to old age homes by the Social Welfare Department on Friday.
While three women were admitted to the Jnanaselvam Old Age Home, Mulayara, one was shifted to the Vikalangasadanam. Though the initial plan was to shift six patients, two of them refused to be transferred. One of the women insisted on the presence of her grandson to be removed from the place.
The ward, which actually has only a 40-bed facility, houses 90-plus inmates. The hospital authorities, following the outcry over the pathetic condition of patients in the ward, had written to the Social Welfare Department to help rehabilitate 35 inmates.
‘’Last week, 10 inmates were shifted to the Karunya Visranti Bhavan, a home for the destitute. Once rehabilitated, the homes have to bear the responsibility of nursing the inmates and house them permanently. The rest of the inmates other than the 35 are ailing and have to remain in the hospital,’’ said an official with the Kerala Social Security Mission under the Social Welfare Department.
The Kerala Social Security Mission had appointed three nursing staff in the ward and according to officials more nurses would be pressed into service here. In the coming days, in small groups, the Mission will rehabilitate the other inmates too. The shifting will take place on Saturday and Monday, officials said.
Not just rehabilitation, development of the ward, including new beds, staff and monitoring facility, is being implemented by the government.