Pollachi government hospital faces public outcry over shortage of key medical specialists
COIMBATORE: Citing lack of medical specialists, the members of Healthcare Beneficiaries Welfare Committee of Coimbatore District Government Headquarters Hospital and public have demanded the government to appoint a cardiothoracic surgeon, neurologist and dermatologist at the facility. They said that due to the absence of these specialists, patients are forced to travel to the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for consultation.
Over 1,500 people receive treatment as outpatients on a daily basis at the Coimbatore District Government Headquarters Hospital - an equipped taluk-level hospital in Pollachi. It operates several departments, including general medicine, general surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, ENT, orthopaedics, accident and emergency care, and intensive cardiac care with dedicated specialists, and also has 462 beds for inpatients.
However, the hospital lacks basic facilities in certain major areas such as cardiothoracic surgery, neurology and dermatology. As a result, people from various surrounding villages from Valparai to Udumalai, who come to the government hospital seeking high-quality advanced treatment, are often forced to go to private hospitals or the CMCH, which is around 41 km away, said R Vellai Nataraj, a member of the Healthcare Beneficiaries Welfare Committee of the hospital.
"Many people suffering from conditions related to the heart, skin and nerves are being referred to CMCH, citing the unavailability of specialists. Appointment of a dermatologist, which had been a 14-year-long demand, was addressed four years ago. But soon, the doctor was transferred to Vettaikkaranpudur GH," Nataraj said, adding that spending a lot of money at private hospitals and travelling to CMCH are not convenient options for people from underprivileged backgrounds.
When contacted, a senior official from the health department said, "As the posts of neurologists and cardiothoracic surgeons are not properly filled, even at the medical college hospital, it is not possible to fill similar posts at a taluk-level hospital. Moreover, the hospital is running with the full-sanctioned strength of doctors, sanctioned several years ago.
At present, there is a need to revise the sanctioned strength, and the appointment of specialists could be considered during the revision," the officer added. Meanwhile, another officer said that dermatologists from a neighbouring hospital will be diverted to the Pollachi GH, once every week.