THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The emergency medicine department of the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram has been selected as one of the five centres of excellence in the country by a NITI Aayog-ICMR study.
The tag would help the college earn a Rs 2 crore grant every year. This marks the first time a medical college from Kerala has achieved this distinction. Earlier, the central government had designated the SAT Hospital of the medical college as a Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases.
The emergency medicine department has made a remarkable change from being a cramped space to a modern facility with a triage unit. A chest pain clinic, stroke hotline, and state-of-the-art testing systems have been implemented to ensure a patient-friendly environment.
Health Minister Veena George who initiated these interventions also ensured the service of senior doctors. “Since it was seen that meticulous intervention was needed at all levels of the medical college, new departments, new systems, and a fellowship programme were started. Representatives of AIIMS and World Health Organisation visited the emergency department and appreciated the efforts,” said the minister.
The course was started by obtaining permission for three PG seats in emergency medicine. A special block with 100 ICU beds and SPECT (Single-photon emission computed tomography) scan was established.