Bystanders at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital ‘trade’ personal items to get basic facilities

Kozhikode: Due to the acute shortage of basic facilities like wheelchairs and stretchers for ailing patients and attenders, the bystanders at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) are forced to give their mobile phones and other valuables as security to get these services.

Fearing the bystanders could misplace these limited essentials, they demand the security in the form of their mobile phones or vehicle keys against the rules.

A source said patients are kept waiting for a long time as the hospital has been facing shortage of wheelchairs.

“With the limited facilities, we provide wheelchairs and stretchers to the bystanders, but often these essentials are left after their use somewhere in the hospital and we go in search of them,” they said.

“This has forced us to demand some securities”. According to Krishna Kumar, a frequent visitor here, the MCH has been hit by acute staff shortage and lack of infrastructures, but nothing has been done to address them. “This is a matter of shame,” he said.

The hospital administration denied shortage of wheelchairs though they agreed there was a shortage of essential attenders, which is likely to be solved soon.

"Wheelchairs are available in sufficient numbers in our hospital,” they said. “The state government has sanctioned a few posts for attenders and they will be recruited soon".