57 more posts of doctors for Tiruchi medical college

The Health Department has sanctioned 57 posts in three categories to the K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College and Hospital here. Twenty one posts of Associate Professor, 17 posts of Assistant Professor, and 19 posts of tutor have been sanctioned to the college and hospital.

The posts were newly created in the college consequent to the increase in the number of intake of students from 100 to 150.

P. Karkuzhali, Dean of the college, said the creation of new posts would benefit both the students of the college and the patients at the hospital as the teaching faculty would treat patients.

Sharp increase

The Dean said there had been a sharp increase in the admission of patients at the hospital in various wards, consequent to the upgrade of various infrastructure in terms of buildings, equipment, and she particularly referred to the New-born Intensive Care Unit (NICU) which has state-of-the-art facilities.

Listing the achievements of NICU, she said the NICU had been instrumental in handling the pre-mature babies, underweight infants, and newborns with complications, including jaundice.

D. Swaminathan, Head of Department of Paediatrics, said the infant mortality rate had been reduced to a great extent after the provision of the NICU. A constant surveillance was being kept by the medical and paramedical personnel using 51 warmers and LED phototherapy and other equipment available.

Complications

P. Kanagaraj, Medical Superintendent, and J. Sathya, Associate Professor, said low-birth weight was one of the major complications.

The facilities available at the hospital had been attracting a large number of patients and pregnant women from neighbouring districts, they said.