The Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram is often in the news for the various inconveniences patients face. When complaints and objections exceed a certain limit, there will be regular visits or lightning visits by the health ministers. Then things will go smoothly for a few days and will return to former situation after that. The situation there is always complicated. These are the problems that can arise in any hospital when patients are filled to capacity. Decades ago, when Vakkom Purushothaman was in charge of the health department, referral system was first introduced in the state's medical college hospitals. The direction was to refer patients to medical college hospitals if they need need specialist treatment not available in district hospitals and taluk hospitals. This new system was a great relief to the patients who weren't able to get beds and had to sleep in verandahs etc. without getting any space even under the bed. Over time the referral system broke down somewhere and was gone altogether. Later this was tried at various stages but without any consistency.

Despite being the largest government-owned medical college, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital is filled with issues. Inadequate adherence to referral criteria leads to over-admission of patients. There are even situations where two patients have to be alloted one bed. This overcrowding disrupts the operations of the hospital. As the number of patients increases, so does the quality of service. Thiruvananthapuram is home to many private hospitals, including high-tech ones. However, the fixed income and poor often rely on medical college hospitals for expert treatment. This is the situation not only in Thiruvananthapuram but also in other government medical college hospitals.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Veena George visited the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital and assessed the situation after complaints were raised continuously from the patients. It is certain that if the minister comes every now and then, the situation will be resolved at least temporarily. It is indicated that the minister was convinced that many of the complaints made by the patients during the examination were well-founded. At least in medical college hospitals, patients should not have to buy medicines from outside. But one of the top complaints here is that.

Harassment of patients and bystander for medical benefits is also not right. The minister suggested that a single window system should be set up for such matters. Measures to make the referral system effective should be ensured in peripheral hospitals. Ttop officials should make regular checks to see if it is properly followed. There should also be a system to repair damaged machines and lifts. Government systems shouldn't make way for private labs. Government hospitals have changed a lot from being no cost hospitals. A fixed fee is also charged for many services. Then patients have the right to better service.