Medicos, patients wait for cath lab at Ernakulam Government Medical College

KOCHI: Students and patients at the Ernakulam Government Medical College (EGMC) are seething with anger at the neglect of the authorities in providing a full-fledged cardiology department and a cath lab for the hospital. The cardiology department has only a part-time cardiologist who attends patients for three days a week while PG students go to Kottayam Medical College for completing their study-related assignments.

According to students, the District Collector M G Rajamanickam had promised the cath lab some four months back in the new building which will house the outpatient wing of the Kochi Cancer Centre. "He promised in the Hospital Development Committee meeting that Rs 5 crore is ready as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds and the cath lab will be set up soon. He reiterated this when the Chief Minister queried him in this regard when he came to the campus on Feburary 20 for the inauguration of the City Gas Project after he was petitioned on the issue by the students. But nothing has happened so far," said a leader of the college house surgeons association.

Patients too are struggling without the service of a full-time cardiologist. The intervention of the State Human Rights Commission, after being petitioned by the students, too has not borne fruit. When contacted, EGMC principal Dr Aswini Kumar said he will raise the issue in the next HDC meeting which is chaired by the District Collector.

"The cath lab will need 25 staff and right now there is none to co-ordinate the activities to bring the cath lab here. We lack a full-fledged cardiology department as well," Dr Aswini Kumar said. Despite repeated attempts to contact, Mr Rajamanickam was unavailable for comments.