Staff shortage in Thiruparankundram government hospital unsorted for  years

MADURAI:  Thiruparankundram government hospital staff have requested authorities to address the workforce shortage and fill vacancies in various departments at the earliest. The staff said the issue has been unresolved for many years, affecting the treatment of patients.

"As many as 1,200 patients come for treatment daily. The hospital functioned as a Primary Health Centre (PHC) till 2016. Now, the hospital has 60 beds for inpatients and has departments such as gynecology, ENT, pediatrics, anesthesia and dermatology," they added.

The staff further said the facility lacks sanitary workers, at least for three shifts, adding that they need a total of 12 ground staff and hospital workers for dressing the wounds, put sutures for patients, maintain outpatient registrations, and provide tokens for outpatients. "We need ten staff nurses to support the doctors, four people to look after hospital security, and speciality doctors in the categories of surgeon, physician and orthopaedician," the staff added.

Sources said the staff shortage cropped up after the PHC was converted as a hospital. "We have received complaints from patients regarding cleanliness. Despite raising the issue in our reports to the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS), no action has been taken," they added.
 
One of the patient's attendees said the hospital does not have support staff to help in the admission of the patients from the ambulance. "One of my relatives was admitted to the hospital and we suffered at that time as no one was there to take him inside the ward," she said.

Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi said the government is in the process of recruiting doctors, staff nurses, and other paramedical staff. "More than 1,000 doctors will be recruited very shortly and the process is in the final stage," he added.

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