At least 11 or more elective surgeries scheduled to be held at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) got postponed on Saturday after faulty air-conditioning in one of the major operation theatres and the consequent humidity made it unbearable for doctors to work inside.
“We were sweating on to the patient on the table with the humidity inside the theatre reaching unbearable levels and the leaked anaesthetic gases remaining stale inside. This situation posed a risk to patient safety and was a health hazard as well. We performed three surgeries but after one of our colleagues fainted and fell on the floor, we decided to call it a day,” one of the senior surgeons at MCH said.
The air-conditioning in one part of the major Operation Theatre A (two theatre suites) has been faulty for the past two or three months and a situation had been brewing with none bothering to change the air filter and do the repairs.
Complaints galoreThe repairs were not being done despite complaints from doctors reportedly, owing to the failure in drawing up annual maintenance contracts. Doctors pointed out that air-conditioning inside operation theatre was not a matter of luxury but was vital for maintaining proper air flow and humidity levels, for preventing infection and to clear the circulation of anaesthetic gases like methane and nitric oxide.
