Kanchi GH in sick bed, sends patients elsewhere
Residents of Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Ranipet districts, who visit the hospital – the only main GH in the region – rue that the hospital lacks even basic amenities
Mop attack
CHENNAI: Kancheepuram GH is in sick bed. Despite being the district headquarters hospital, the hospital lacks even basic facilities, leaving inpatients and hundreds of those visiting the hospital daily in agony.
Residents of Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Ranipet districts, who visit the hospital – the only main GH in the region – rue that the hospital lacks even basic amenities. The mandatory equipment required to run the hospital is missing, and in many cases, the patients are referred to the Chengalpattu GH.
There are separate wards for emergency cases, labour pain, children, ortho, ENT, and fever. However, a visit to the fever ward will reveal the condition there, like glucose bottles being hung on PVC pipes or broomsticks for want of proper drip stands.
In many places, the switchboards have come off with wires that jut out posing a risk of electric shock to the patients. The inpatients said there is a shortage of beds and that patients are being admitted to the normal wards for this reason. This leaves visitors coming for regular checkups also exposed to the risk of getting easily infected.
Even emergency cases are being referred to the Chengalpattu GH, leaving the patients helpless. As the GH is the district headquarters hospital, people from around 300 villages depend on the hospital.
Stray dogs another menace at Kanchi GH
Another major issue the visitors face at Kancheepuram GH is the stray dog menace. The entire premises are infested by stray dogs that don't spare visitors either. M Ibrahim, an activist from Kancheepuram, said the dogs would chase the people from behind with women walking with their babies the soft targets.
"Some dogs are badly infected and have blood stains all over their body. Yet the hospital administration has not taken any step to prevent them from entering the premises," he said.
When contacted, Kancheepuram GH Superintendent Dr Bala Krishnan admitted to "a few issues" but claimed that they are being rectified.
"We are hearing some complaints are they are being looked into. Recently, the number of beds has been increased. Also, fever wards and separate wards for men and women have been set up to meet the growing demand," the official said.