Battery-operated buggies to ferry patients in ICH

As public transport vehicles are not permitted within the hospital premise, parents have to walk with their children to the wards. “Parents find it difficult to carry their children if they are older than 12 or 13 years. Besides, there are instances where parents bring more than one child, making the walk extremely strenuous. The buggies will help solve their problems,” said Dr A T Arasar Seeralar, director of the hospital.

Stating that the patient alighting facility would have a 10-seater vehicle, he added, “Generally, people walk from the main gate to the wards, which is difficult. It is a burden for parents with older children and therefore we decided to start this. Besides, these battery-operated buggies will also transport children from the emergency units to the in-patient departments. Patients in need of investigations can be taken to the labs in these buggies, one of which will have a stretcher for patients who cannot sit.”

The hospital is waiting to set up a shelter close to the gate before they launched the vehicles. “To ensure that they do not have to stand in the sun or rain, we are also planning to make a shelter near the gate,” he added.

Discussions on a contact number for the buggies are still on. “Initially, they can be reached through the Resident Medical Officer’s number. However, we are contemplating to get walkie-talkies – one of which will be with the driver of the buggy and the other with someone at the out-patient ward,” said a doctor.