CHENNAI: With the ‘Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam’ set to be launched by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday, and the government deploying armed reserve police personnel at most of the hospitals where the gold rings are stored in lockers, the doctors have raised concerns on safeguarding the rings in the long run.
The doctors said the burden of keeping the rings safe will eventually fall on the doctors and the hospital management as the armed reserve police personnel, tasked with carrying out emergency duties, won’t be able to guard the hospitals in the long run. Dr A Ramalingam, general secretary, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) said if it is a matter of any essential drugs or medical equipment, the deans can deal with it. “But, we (the hospitals) don’t have the resources to ensure the safety of gold rings. If any problem arises tomorrow, the deans and other staff will have to face unnecessary inquiry and action. This will hamper healthcare activities,” he said.
The doctors also reiterated that the gold rings be distributed through banks as they have the resources or through the social welfare or revenue department. They also raised concern over the motive of the scheme, saying if the scheme is designed to attract more pregnant women to government hospitals, then the government should spend on increasing the strength of doctors and other paramedical staff, and focus on improving infrastructure.
As per the data available with the health department, out of around 4.42 lakh deliveries recorded at the government hospitals in a year, 54% are conducted in medical college hospitals, 37% in district and sub district hospitals and 9% at primary health centres (PHCs). The scheme operates on a hub-and-spoke distribution model where 107 high-load Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centres will function as secure regional hubs. In medical college hospitals, the respective deans will be the custodians of the hub.
