The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Staff shortage hits SAT hospital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Staff shortage hits SAT hospital

Staff Reporter

Renovation works on in full swing

Thiruvananthapuram: Renovation works are on full swing at the SAT hospital, including the construction of the Golden jubilee building. However, even as these are expected to improve the facilities for patients, several basic issues in the hospital remain unresolved.

The main entrance of the hospital is now being renovated and a spacious car park with tarred surface has already been constructed. This is expected to ease the traffic congestion at the entrance, where hundreds of auto rickshaws, taxis and other private vehicles jostle for space daily.

Sponsors

Meanwhile, the response to the hospital's call for sponsors to help it tackle its infrastructural deficiencies has been overwhelming. Many voluntary agencies have come forward to help the hospital add on more facilities for patients as well as visitors to the hospital by constructing waiting sheds, dormitories and toilets and by providing additional bed linen to the hospital.

While all these have helped, patient care cannot be improved unless more nursing staff is provided in the wards, it is pointed out. Every year, the period between March and May spells trouble for the hospital authorities because this is the time when the number of in patients swell.

A large number of planned gynaecological and other surgeries invariably gets posted during the summer vacation months for the convenience of patients and their families. This is also the time when many members of the hospital staff go on long breaks from work.

"The hospital actually requires at least 300 nurses but we have been making do with 162 nurses of whom one-third are not available for various reasons. We need more people to look after the 1,200-odd inpatients and to work in the labour rooms, theatre and specialty clinics. Now that the elections have been declared, we are not allowed to get even temporary hands from the employment exchange," says a hospital staff.

Because of staff shortage and non-availability of anaesthetist, the second operation table at the emergency theatre at SAT hospital has remained non-functional for the past three months. The table had initially been allotted to reduce the waiting period for C-section deliveries.

Meanwhile, the executive committee of SAT hospital development society, which met here last week has also decided to proceed with some long-pending civil works, including general maintenance of the hospital.

More waiting sheds and pay-and-use toilets for visitors to the hospital are also being planned.

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