With all set for the northeast monsoon, preparations are in full swing in government hospitals in Chennai. The hospitals have identified areas prone to waterlogging within the premises, pruned tree branches and are regularly checking the working condition of the generators.
The Directorate of Medical Education had issued a set of instructions to government medical college hospitals and peripheral hospitals under its control. R. Narayana Babu, director of medical education, said the hospitals that witnessed water stagnation in the last rains such as the peripheral hospitals at K.K. Nagar and Periyar Nagar and Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital have been asked to stay alert.
“Already, specific steps have been taken to address the waterlogging issues at hospitals in low-lying areas. The hospitals have kept motor pumps ready. We have told hospitals to stay alert and be ready to quickly move equipment installed on the ground floor if required,” he said.
Fever wards ready
In a bid to address the waterlogging issue at KMC, construction of a culvert near Barnaby Road-Poonamallee High Road has been taken up. “We have prepared fever wards with 30 beds for adults and 20 beds for children. We also have a round-the-clock fever outpatient unit,” R. Shanthimalar, dean of KMC, said.
P. Balaji, dean of Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, said that during the recent rain, there was no water stagnation in and around the hospital. “The Public Works Department (PWD) uses motors to pump out the water if there is any waterlogging. All generators are functioning. The electrical department is fully geared up and engineers are taking up round-the-clock surveillance,” he said. Adequate fogging and other disinfection methods are in place.
R. Jayanthi, dean of Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital, said periodic meetings were held to review the monsoon preparedness of the hospital. “We are experiencing intermittent rain and we are geared up for it. We have instructed the PWD assistant engineers, both electrical and civil, to identify vulnerable places for waterlogging and have kept motor pumps ready. There are a few weak spots in the hospitals such as near the gate, kitchen and trenches for cables that witness waterlogging,” she said.
She said they were told to identify vulnerable trees after which branches of some trees were trimmed a few weeks ago. “We have topped up diesel for generators. Generators with auto functioning are checked every day and logged. We have ensured that there are no loose fitting glass panels,” she said.
As for patient care, she said adequate medications were stocked. “We are ready to hold camps in flood-affected areas as well,” she said.
E. Theranirajan, dean of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, said all waterlogging issues on the premises were attended to. “PWD officers have been asked to monitor low-lying areas on the premises round-the-clock and immediately attend to any waterlogging issues,” he said.
He added that beds were earmarked for emergency rain-related incidents such as wall collapses as well as those reporting with diarrhoea and vomiting during the rain.
At the Institute of Child Health, Egmore, director S. Ezhilarasi said that storm-water drain issues were addressed by the PWD and the Greater Chennai Corporation to prevent water stagnation. “Still, we have told the PWD staff to keep sand bags ready as well as motor pumps. One of them should be available on the premises during rain. We are checking all the generators on a daily basis,” she said.
At the Government RSRM Lying-in Hospital, Royapuram, the authorities said steps to check on trees, electrical wires and generators were taken. They were ensuring uninterrupted supply of water during rain and were taking steps to check mosquito-breeding and avoid overcrowding.
“The road inside the hospital was laid with a rainwater harvesting system and so, there may not be waterlogging on the premises,” an authority said.
