Chennai: Chengalpet Government Hospital is back in the news, and for all the wrong reasons. Reports of sanitary workers providing first aid to patients coming to the government facility have evoked strong protests and condemnation from the general public.
Despite allegedly having sufficient doctors and staff nurses, the hospital has been found to be seeking the assistance of sanitary workers in the hospital to provide treatment to the patients. “I had brought a relative to the hospital for treatment and was shocked on seeing sanitary workers administering injections and IV to the patients,” said Ramesh, a resident of Chengalpet.
Stating that there were no first aid workers or nurses available to provide treatment to those coming with illnesses, he said that the sanitary workers who do not know what medicines to give do so anyway. “They administer medication, injections and glucose without checking the expiry date, which is very dangerous. Also, injecting patients with no prior experience of the same can result in problems in the future,” he added.
Following reports on local television channels on the same, the hospital has stopped seeking the help of these sanitary workers since Friday. Dean of the Hospital Dr Gunasekaran denied the allegations, saying, “We have an approximate number of 170 doctors and 140 staff nurses. The doctors are available at all hours and will definitely not seek the help of a basic worker.”
It is alleged that such cases are seen in a few other govt hospitals as well, while it is extensive at the Chengalpet Govt Hospital. “Patients who generally come to this hospital are from Below Poverty Line backgrounds. They fail to understand the seriousness of such an issue,” said a health activist.
