The Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMC), which has many things to its credit, including an exclusive department to treat burns victims, also has its share of woes.
The two new buildings for trauma care and speciality outpatient department have not been inaugurated as water supply and drainage connections are yet to be provided.
The hospital, which gets around 3,500 to 4,000 patients daily and has a sanctioned bed strength of 800, lacks proper drinking water and toilet facility.
Ever since the specialty outpatient department block was shifted to the college premises due to the construction work, patients have to get their OP slip in the hospital and go to the college for treatment.
KMC is the only hospital which is connected by a subway and has a ramp to transport patients.
V. Sagayaraj, a patient attendant, said visitors manage with the food available at the make-shift canteen.
As there are no drinking water taps on the premises, visitors bring water from home or buy packaged water. With no toilets for the attendants and the mobile toilet poorly maintained, visitors sometimes use the facility meant for patients in the wards, he said.
Doctors at the burns ward say it now receives 3,800 in-patients annually. Besides developing it into a 75-bed facility, more space is needed for treatment and dressing patients' wounds.
Rehabilitation centre needed
A rehabilitation unit is also essential, doctors said.
A need for geriatric and isolation wards has also been felt.
As a portion of the premises had been cordoned off for the Metro Rail project, the hospital requires an easy entry for ambulances to transport patients to the trauma care unit, police sources said. Though the hospital has departments for vascular surgery and neurosurgery, they are not adequately equipped with doctors and infrastructure.
Some visitors alleged that though collection of parking fee was not permitted in hospitals, it was being collected at the KMC.
Monsoon worries
Every monsoon the hospital contends with flooding as it is located at a lower level than Poonamallee High Road. Sewage blocks are a regular feature as the old sewerage network has not been replaced.
Officials at The Public Works Department said that a proposal had been submitted with the Health Department to realign the stormwater drain and raise the level in the hospital to the road level to prevent flooding.
The compound wall abutting the lake would also be strengthened, they added.
On average, Rs.50 lakh to Rs.60 lakh is sanctioned for hospital maintenance every year.
The health department is identifying places for constructing toilets and the complaints pertaining to drinking water shortage would be looked into, hospital sources said.
