KOCHI: At a time when the state’s health sector is praised as the best in the country, the CAG report for the year 2024 on health services reveals that most public sector hospitals in the state lack facilities for emergency and trauma care.
With the number of accident cases reported in the state increasing, experts have raised concerns over the lack of life-saving facilities in public sector hospitals.
According to the report, in the 14 test-checked district hospitals, general and taluk hospitals, emergency OT is available in three hospitals, and a trauma ward was available only in one district hospital, forcing the public to depend on private sector hospitals. The report also stated that 11 out of 14 hospitals have treatment facilities for assault, bowel, head, and stab injuries.
Dr Sunil P K, the president of the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), said that at least one hospital in a district should have a full-fledged trauma care unit. “We have an emergency department functional at the hospitals. However, these units lack basic facilities, including a blood donor unit, emergency OT, multi-specialty doctors, and an emergency OP.
At least one or two full-fledged public sector hospitals in a district need to have full-fledged trauma care units to facilitate immediate treatment for the patients and save their lives, especially when the accident rates are increasing in the state. We cannot refer these patients to different hospitals when their condition is critical,” he said.
Dr Sunny P Orethel, the superintendent of Rajagiri Hospital and the former superintendent of Ernakulam General Hospital, said that setting up full-fledged trauma care units in district hospitals can benefit common people. “When the nearest public sector hospital lacks basic facilities, the ambulance drivers and public take the patient to any private hospital. Not everyone may be able to afford treatment at a private hospital.
However, considering the condition of the patient, shifting may also be difficult. Even if we shift, most of these government hospitals and medical colleges may not have the basic trauma care facilities,” he said.
The Triage Guidelines 2021 recommend categorising patients as “red” (immediately life-threatening), “yellow” (urgent, but not immediately life-threatening), or “green” (non-urgent) based on factors like mental status, vital signs, and injury severity, with the most critical patients being prioritised for immediate treatment.
However, according to Dr Sunil, most of the public sector hospitals in the state have not been able to implement the system. “We need to appoint more specialist doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff to ensure better quality care for the patients,” he said.
Dr Sunny added that not just the hospitals under the Directorate of Health Services, several government medical colleges too, do not have trauma care facilities. “Though these general and district hospitals have been upgraded over a period of time, the facilities have not improved. More attention should be given to these hospitals as they serve a larger population,” he emphasised.
Basic needs for a trauma care unit
Specialist doctors in ortho surgery, neurosurgery, and general surgery.
Full-fledged blood bank
Facilities for MRI and CT scans.
Facilities available in general, district hospitals
Emergency OT - 3
Emergency ward - 5
Trauma ward - 1
Triage procedure - 6
Blood bank in proximity to emergency - 4
Mobile X-ray for the emergency room - 4
Laboratory, side lab for emergency services - 3