The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Making things easy for patients

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 26, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Making things easy for patients

R. Sujatha

The Government Stanley Hospital has set up a creche on its premises

CHENNAI: About four years ago, the Social Welfare department came up with the idea of involving voluntary organisations in forming creches in government hospitals.

The objective was to make things easy for patients who come to the hospitals with babies in their arms or little children in tow. The creche would take care of the children as their mothers wait to see the doctor in the outpatient ward. The Government Stanley Hospital responded to the invitation and set up a creche.

Today, the paediatric wing of the hospital houses a creche on the ground floor behind the emergency room. Mothers leave their children in the custody of the teacher and nanny who keep the children occupied.

"Most of them stay for not more than an hour at a time," says the creche teacher, G. Jayanthi. "We have infants, toddlers and even bigger children." About 45 children come every day.

Though the creche, run by non-governmental organisation Kalaichelvi Karunalaya Social Welfare Society, has been functioning for the past four years few are aware of its existence. The teacher and nanny are paid from the funds provided by the Board.

The Government raised the funding to Rs.42,000 last January and the pay for the staff has been hiked. Ms. Jayanthi and her assistant work from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the creche.

A. Purushothaman, secretary of the NGO, said the creche was located in a corner, so many parents did not know that the facility existed. "We would like to expand the services to other hospitals. We are talking to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital [regarding setting up a creche there], but they have a space constraint."

"If the creche is close to the entrance of the hospital more people will benefit from it. Our effort will also be meaningful," he added.

Among the hospitals that require such creches are the nearby RSRM Maternity Hospital. It has a steady stream of visitors all day.

Many of them are accompanied by children. As the members of the staff are unable to cope with the situation, the hospital scores low on cleanliness and hygiene.

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Tamil Nadu