Even as a committee constituted by the government is looking into the cause of death of three patients while undergoing dialysis at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Research Institute, information coming out from the hospital reveals that the dialysis unit has been functioning without an uninterrupted power Supply (UPS) system and a separate reverse osmosis (RO) plant.
It has been reliably learnt that the nursing in-charge of the dialysis wing had written three times to the Director of Health Department seeking UPS and RO plant for the unit.
“Such a tragic incident was waiting to happen. We have taken up with the higher authorities several times the requirements of dialysis unit. The unit is just a make-shift arrangement for inspections of Medical Council of India,” said a paramedical staff on condition of anonymity.
To add to the shortage of infrastructure, the hospital had been functioning without a nephrologist, urologist, and technicians.
“A staff nurse and a general practitioner have to look after the three wards of the nephrology department. It is complete negligence of the Health Department that has resulted in the incident,” said another staff.
The situation in other departments was almost similar. Of late, there had been reports of shortage of medicines, he said.
Work pending
The IGGMCRI has a chequered history and has work pending on the infrastructure and academic front.
A pet project of the former Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, the medical college was inaugurated in 2010 and the college started functioning from September 16, 2010. However, the college had been hit by problems of approval for admission to students. The college had been denied approval for the last six years and it got the nod only at the nick of time.
Although a committee from the Medical Council of India (MCI) had pointed out several lacunae during each visit, the government hardly showed any sincerity in rectifying the shortcomings and in improving the facilities.
MCI had cited shortage of faculty and lack of infrastructure as the reasons for not giving its approval. The administration delayed procurement of equipment and funds were sanctioned only in fits and starts over the years, a senior doctor said.
Successive governments, including that of the N.R. Congress, failed to address the concerns raised by MCI, said a senior doctor.
