Tamil Nadu   

General Hospital's cardiac wing to get new floor

R. Sujatha

Facility will make available 20 beds more Many women patients come with rheumatic heart disease

CHENNAI : The cardio-thoracic department of the Government General Hospital, a premier public tertiary healthcare centre, is expected to get another floor for its use soon.

The additional floor is expected to house 20 beds, taking the ward's capacity to 60. The Public Works Department has initiated the renovation work, but a date for handing over the promised ward has not been finalised. An indicator of the shortage of space there now are the heart patients who lie on the floor. The department is 50 years old.

As the treatment is provided free of cost, it gets poor patients from across the State. Each of the cardiac surgeries performed in the hospital could cost several lakhs of rupees in private institutions. A large number of women patients come with rheumatic heart disease.

The department has performed rare surgeries to treat birth anomalies. Recently a 16-year-old girl was treated for a rare anomaly resulting from consanguineous marriage.

With the twin tower buildings in place at the hospital, the department had requested for more space. Even after the handing of ward, only half the battle would be won. Hospital sources said non-government organisations have been approached to fund 20 cots and mattresses needed by the new ward.

According to hospital authorities, the department now used two floors in the old building. The ward under renovation earlier housed the Orthopaedics department. A tentative date for opening the new ward could be the Tamil New Year's Day, the sources said.

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