While welcoming the opening of a new geriatric ward at Government Rajaji Hospital here, people working for the welfare of elderly people have demanded effective use of the ward and easing of procedures in getting treatment for destitute and abandoned.
The new 20-bed geriatric ward, designed to meet the needs of elderly people at a cost of Rs.35 lakh, was opened last week. However, hospital sources said that the ward was yet to become fully functional as certain facilities were yet to be installed.
A senior official from GRH administration also highlighted the lack of additional staff, who could be deployed in the ward. “The hospital already has a severe crunch of nursing staff. The geriatric ward, in particular, will need more nurses as the care needed for elderly patients will be more,” he said.
In terms of doctors, the official said that though eight posts had been sanctioned by the government for geriatrics, there was no certainty as when the appointments would be made. Seeking immediate allocation of adequate resources to make the ward fully functional, V.P. Sundara Subramanian, who helps in rescuing abandoned old age people, stressed that the hospital should not hesitate to admit abandoned people.
“It is for such people that the geriatric ward is really needed. However, the hospital stresses that a blood relative be present to attend to the needs of the patient,” he said.
G. Edison, Managing Trustee of Hands of Compassion, a home for the destitute, said that though the hospital authorities at times allow someone other than blood relatives, even that is not feasible all the time.
“If I rescue an elderly person in need of treatment, either me or an employee from my home try to be there at the hospital to assist the person. However, that is not possible all the time. The hospital should instead have adequate nursing staff to take care of the patients,” he said. Acknowledging the need for the hospital to adhere to certain legal requirements, R. Balagurusamy, Managing Trustee of Nethravathi Pain and Palliative Care Centre, said that it will be better if changes were brought at policy level.
“For instance, if an abandoned person had to be rescued, there were several procedures involved, which include the involvement of local police. Since I run an organisation, I may be able to do it. However, what if an individual wants to rescue a person?” he asked.
