Treatment first, procedures later, CM tells SSKM officials
Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday sent a strong message to the SSKM Hospital authorities saying that treatment of emergency patients cannot be delayed only because the "procedure of admission is not completed".
She directed the SSKM Hospital officials that treatment should be given "immediately while the procedure for admission can be conducted later".
Banerjee saw the Trauma Care Centre of the SSKM Hospital during her visit. The Chief Minister said that the number of medical colleges has gone up from 11 to 33, including the private ones. Around 47 Trauma Care Centers have come up in the state while 12 Mother and Child Hubs have come up. The number of beds has increased to 97,000 from what stood at 40,000 earlier. The number of doctors has also gone up to 15,267 from 4,800 while the number of nursing professionals has increased to 66,983 from 37,366.
While speaking to a few patients, she found that some accident victims did not get prompt treatment due to procedural formalities. "There should not be any delay in the treatment of emergency patients at the Trauma Care Centre. If an emergency pregnant woman is put on wait for 6 hours for procedural issues, the patient may die," the Chief Minister pointed out.
"I saw some patients who were brought here in the morning but the process of admission continued for a long time. It did not feel good. We have set up a Trauma Care Centre with advanced facilities.
If there is any error in the system it must be rectified. What is the point if there is a delay in treatment due to some procedures? I have told the Director of the SSKM that treatment should be given immediately to the emergency patients," Banerjee said.
"A patient bled 4-5 drops as needles were inserted multiple times for setting up a channel. The nursing personnel should know how the channel is done for administering saline. I had a similar experience in the past as well. In the SSKM Hospital in the past, somebody extracted my blood in such a way that my hand had swollen. Some nursing professionals insert needles but people will not feel any pain and that is how it should be done. I spoke to a patient who said that even his wound was not bandaged," she said.
Banerjee urged the SSKM Director Manimoy Bandyopadhyay to take up the issue with the Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam if the former requires more manpower. She said that 10,000 new nursing professionals will soon be inducted.
Addressing the gathering, Banerjee heaped praise on the junior doctors and nursing professionals who take huge pressure at government hospitals. Government doctors have to work within a limited salary. "Junior doctors and nursing staffers tirelessly work throughout the day and night. I would also urge the senior doctors if they can do night duty on a rotation basis. We will also contemplate if any diploma courses can be introduced for nursing professionals who take off the pressure of the doctors. They should be given some recognition," remarked Banerjee.
