TIRUCHY: As the district enters the dog days of summer (Agni Natchathiram), inadequate drinking water at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital here has put thousands of visitors at risk of heat-related illness, including patients.
Due to faulty RO water plant in most of the hospital floors, kin of patients are forced to walk to the canteen in extreme heat to fill up empty bottles, complain bystanders. According to sources, the RO facility in several floors of GH, including the building with the maternity ward, has been inoperative. “Since the canteen is too far away, we get dehydrated often,” said a kin of patient waiting outside the pediatric ward.
“A few water cans placed outside the ward get emptied quickly. We manage by consuming ORS drinks as that is available here at times,” said an attender outside the maternity ward.
“Neither water cans nor RO water facility is available on the third flood (of the new GH building) where my relative is admitted. I have no other option than to walk down to the ground flood to fill bottles every time,” said E Parmashiva, a kin of the patient. When questioned, officials assured to take action and arrange potable water facilities immediately.