The Tambaram Taluk Government Hospital, better known as Chromepet GH, may finally be getting some much-needed official attention, but it may not be enough to solve some of its long-pending issues.
Over the last five months, a few repair works have been undertaken at the hospital including fixing up of the ceiling, relaying of paver blocks and construction of drainage facilities, according to sources in the Public Works Department, Building C&M Circle, Medical Wing, Chennai.
Responding to an RTI application filed by V. Santhanam, president, People’s Awareness Group, an official has also confirmed that a Rs. 19-lakh proposal for strengthening of the compound wall has been sent to the State Government for approval.
Terming the proposed allocation inadequate, Mr. Santhanam recalled the long-pending demand of residents that the facility be upgraded to a multi-speciality hospital and lamented that no new infrastructure has been added in recent times.
Visitors said the hospital suffered extensive damage during the rains in November and December last year and patients had to be shifted due to flooding, which is a perennial problem.
“There was stagnation at the entrance even on May 18 when the overnight rains brought water from main road,” says M. Manimegalai of Bharathipuram, Chromepet.
Every day, on an average, the hospital, which was opened by the then chief minister M. Karunanidhi in 1971, receives around 1,500 out-patients; it has 152 beds for in-patients in the general ward. According to National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) norms, a hospital of this size should have at least 24 doctors. But the facility always fell short of this mark and many of the doctors attached to the hospital go on visits to health centres in the nearby Kancheepuram district. "Most of the patients who come here are poor. They cannot afford to go to a private hospital," says K. Arulpandian, a patient.
3 accident cases per day
Every day, on an average, at least three accident cases come to the hospital. Being the lone facility in the city's outskirts, the hospital receives accident cases from GST Road, Chennai bypass, Rajiv Gandhi Salai and also from the East Coast Road. Some claim that often, patients are referred to other hospitals given the inadequacy of Chromepet GH.
However, Health and Family Welfare Department sources said the hospital has been providing exemplary service to poor road accident victims and only if they require specialty care they are shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Proposals have been submitted to the government for improving the hospital’s infrastructure, including construction of additional buildings to accommodate other departments, they said.
