Not long ago, the government hospitals all over the country catered to the requirements of all sections of the society -- the rich, the middle-class and the downtrodden. This type of hospital provides medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives from the government. Even ministers, politicians and high ranking officials also had to depend upon the facilities in the government hospitals. As a result, care was taken to proper up keep of these hospitals and the overall environment was not awful as at present. Over the years, with the growth of hi-tech private hospitals the politicians and officials migrated to them. The government hospitals became the abode of the downtrodden. Due to the growth of population and inadequate improvement of facilities, the existing government hospitals became overcrowded. Each of these hospitals has been forced to treat thousands of patients – as outpatients as well as inpatients. For instance, the Government General Hospital in Chennai treats about 8,000 to 10,000 outpatients every day, besides more than a thousand in-patients. But the facilities in these hospitals have not been expanded to meet the growing requirements. Moreover, no effective steps have been to improve the administrative set-up in tune with the increase in the volume of patients and visitors. As the administration turned a blind eye, the government hospital premises began to be littered with all kinds of waste materials, including waste of food materials. Moreover, due to improper administration the hospital buildings remain without proper cleaning, sometimes for days together. The hospital toilets are not properly cleaned and subjected to treatment with disinfectants. The general picture of most of the hospitals is one of dirt, filth and appalling ugliness. As a result dogs, cats, rodents, rats, flies and mosquitoes have a field day. The doctors are supposed to teach others the value of hygiene. It is rather incomprehensible that keep a blind eye to the sorry state of affairs in these hospitals. However, it is rather heartening to know that the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu has reacted immediately on the news about the death of a female infant at the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children and stains found on the face of the baby due to rat bite. She has in fact ordered the cleanup of all hospitals immediately and free them from the menace of dogs, cats, rodents, rats, flies and mosquitoes, besides ordering to remove mobile food stalls. This process should be continued with the same vigor.
Dr. C. Murukadas, NDTV, AUG.31, 2012
