The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Hospitals braced for any eventuality

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Thursday, Jul 31, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Hospitals braced for any eventuality

Shyama Rajagopal

Rapid response teams at the district and taluk levels are already
in place.

KOCHI: The District Health authorities are confident that the city is equipped to meet any emergency situation. A rapid response team at the district and taluk levels are already in place. This team would swing into action at the first signal, said the Deputy District Medical Officer K. B. Peethambaran

In case of emergencies, ambulances with drivers would be available, said Dr. Peethambaran.

There is a list of ten ambulances in the district government institutions and 58 ambulances with private institutions.

These can be pressed into service without any delay, said the official.

A directory of personnel at district and taluk levels is ready for managing a disaster of any kind, he said.

The District General Hospital has been on the alert for any emergency for the last three days, said the Superintendent Dr. D. Radhakrishnan.

Directions issued

The general hospital has four operation theatres and a separate burns unit to handle emergency situations. A surgical ward has been isolated as part of the preparedness for any emergency, said Dr. Radhakrishnan.

Besides, directions were given to all the medical officers, nursing staff and para-medical staff to be on alert to meet any emergency.

The security personnel of hospital have also been alerted to check the baggage that is being brought into the hospital, said Dr. Radhakrishnan.

The hospital has a 24-hour blood bank and laboratory service too to meet any situation, he added“On Sunday, when the bomb threat loomed large, there were 10 doctors besides five house surgeons waiting at the hospital till late night”, said Dr. Sunny P. Orathel, physician at the General Hospital.

Almost all hospitals in the city depend upon the Blood Bank of the Indian Medical Association, Kochi. The blood is stored in whole as well as components that are separated here in its modern equipment.

As much as 6,000 units of plasma component of the blood are available at any time.

In the district, it is the Aluva Government Hospital that has a good blood bank, though its capacity is much lower that the one run by the IMA.

The private hospitals too are prepared to meet any emergency.

Dr. K. Vinodan, Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Medical Trust, said that the hospital’s location in the heart of the city has always made the management ready to meet any calamity.

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