Lift controversy only one among many; multiple complaints from health sector going unaddressed

The incident of B. Ravindran Nair, who came for treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, getting stuck in the lift of OP Block for two days, is shocking. Even though such frequent errors in our medical colleges make headlines, steps are usually not taken to make the systems flawless. The man who got trapped in the elevator on Saturday afternoon was lucky to escape alive on Monday morning. It can be imagined what would have been the fate of Ravindran Nair, who was lying unconscious inside the lift, if the lift had not been noticed by the employees who walked past there on Monday. As the incident became controversial, investigation orders were issued as usual and three employees including the lift operator were suspended.

The suspended will not fail to return to their seats as the heat and smoke of the incident subside, because that is the usual trend. Government Medical College Hospitals should be a role model for the entire health sector. Unfortunately, the news that comes out from there often is not so good. In recent years, there have been many complaints about medical malpractice, inadequate treatment, drug shortages, delays in examinations and rude behaviour of staff. Many shortages are problems common to all government medical college hospitals. Despite the presence of huge private hospitals in various parts of the country, there is no shortage of patients coming to government treatment centers.

As the refuges of the middle class and the poor, medical college hospitals and district hospitals are the backbone of the health sector. It is the need of the people that their flawless functioning should remain intact. Lack of strong measures to correct negligence, mismanagement, lack of responsibility, etc. is the reason for the recurrence of various mistakes in medical college hospitals. Even employees who make serious mistakes do not face severe punishment. Since politics has penetrated into every field, action will be taken only after checking the political connections of the wrongdoers! It has been years since a woman, whose wound was stitched up leaving scissors inside during a delivery operation in Kozhikode Medical College, has been agitating for justice and compensation. There too, the government is trying to save the guilty doctor and others responsible.

Similarly, the case of a semi-conscious housewife who was molested by an employee caused a stir. In this incident too, the health department did not stand with the victim. Majority of the employees are working sincerely in spite of various crises. Hospitals are moving forward on their dedication and service-mindedness. Thiruvananthapuram is the first medical college in the state. It is the responsibility of everyone to keep the affairs of the place straight and free from complaints. Lack of staff is a major problem hospitals are facing. This is often the cause of conflict with patients and staff. Despite this, there should be no lapses that endanger the lives of patients. Such lapses can be prevented in future only if strong punitive action is taken against the culprits.