Special block at Government Hospital

Even as public in the district are ruing over the lack of facilities and the non-functionality of the Rs 100 crore multi-specialty block at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, state health minister Dr C Basker on Friday claimed that the new block had indeed commenced functioning and the process is on to bring some equipment to the specialty block.

Speaking to TOI during his visit to the MGMGH, the health minister said, "The building is functioning in a full-fledged manner. As of now, the hospital doctors did not raise any issue about its functioning. However, there is a misconception that the super-specialty block is yet to commence operations though it became operational."

Though then chief minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurated the multi-specialty block on February 21 without the Rs 45 crore medical equipment that was originally announced, it was lying vacant till June this year due to lack of equipment and manpower. The patients in the old block were shifted to the new block on June 29 ahead of Jayalalithaa's official visit to Srirangam to participate in a government programme. The hospital administration a few months ago said the process was on to get the Rs 45 crore medical equipment, but the it was yet to arrive. This is evident whenever anyone visits the block.

But Dr Basker insisted that the necessary medical equipment for the multi-specialty hospital was in place. "A multi-specialty hospital requires MRI and CT scan which are most essential. An MRI is already placed in the block. An existing CT scan will be shifted to the super-specialty block shortly. With the equipment, the super-specialty block can function," he told TOI in the presence of medical superintendent Dr Kanagaraj who remained tight-lipped.

There was a constant lamentation from the staff about the lack of manpower in the super-specialty block. The care provided to the patients was not satisfactory due to this. There was a demand from the staff that new posts for doctors, nurses and other staff should be created and appointments made. One of the former deans had sent a proposal to the government demanding 150 doctors and more than 100 nursing, sanitary, hospital staff for the multi-specialty block. Unfortunately, the appointments were not made for the smooth functioning of the block.

Interestingly, the health minister said "There will be no creation of vacancy for the multi-specialty block but we will fill the sanctioned strength." However, he said that he would conduct a review meeting in this issue.

In fact, the new block has nine super-specialty departments - orthopaedics, neurosurgery, neurology, nephrology, urology, cardiology, cardiothoracic, plastic surgery and surgical gastroenterology. However, the specialised doctors to provide specialty treatment are not appointed here and the patients got general treatment at the specialty block.

Meanwhile, doctors at the hospital on Friday demanded the health minister to construct a new block for the general and surgery department. The minister discussed the matter with the PWD officials to check the feasibility for a new block.