The Hindu : Front Page : Achuthanandan visits SAT Hospital

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Wednesday, May 09, 2007
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Achuthanandan visits SAT Hospital

Staff Reporter

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan

Thiruvananthapuram: The Government will take steps to improve basic facilities and manpower shortage in Government hospitals, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said.

Mr. Achuthanandan on Tuesday visited Sree Avittom Tirunal (SAT) Hospital, which has been in the eye of a storm following reports of death of newborns owing to hospital-acquired infection.

Later, addressing mediapersons, Mr. Achuthanandan said he was satisfied with the manner in which the Government had handled the crisis at the hospital as soon as the news of the death of the newborns was reported.

The hospital, though a tertiary care centre, catered to more than twice the number of patients it could handle. There was also the problem of overcrowding by visitors, he said. When limited resources were utilised by more people, problems were bound to happen, he said.

Panel set up

More paramedical staff and security personnel would be made available at the hospital.

The Government had instituted a committee to hold discussions with the employees so that the existing staff pattern could be revised, he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan said he did not believe that there had been a `conspiracy' to discredit SAT Hospital. He said as per the information provided by the hospital authorities, most of the children who died were pre-term babies of extremely low birth weight. However, the Government would inquire if there had been any negligence on the part of the doctors which could have led to the death of the infants, he said.

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