The two new Emergency OTs, complete with pre-operative and post-operative facilities that the hospital is in dire need of, are locked due to shortage of manpower.

At least six patients in need of emergency surgeries be it Caesarean, trauma related surgeries or general emergency cases have to be accommodated in the lone Emergency OT of the hospital. A number of times, hospital staff are forced to refer emergency surgical cases  to Victoria Hospital or Vani Vilas Hospital if the only Emergency OT is occupied. According to sources, approximately 20 emergency cases in need of surgery are referred to other hospitals every month. Caesarean cases are given preference as there are two lives to save and these usually take close to two and a half hours, said a highly-placed source. If any emergency surgical cases come in during that time, they are made to wait a few hours or are referred to outside hospitals depending on the case, he added.

The hospital has six Elective Operation Theatres, which are for scheduled surgeries (with at least 24 hours’ notice), where emergency procedures cannot be accommodated. Nearly 25 surgeries are conducted every day in the Elective OTs. The two Emergency OTs have all the necessary equipment ready. While there is an adequate number of surgeons in the hospital (14 general surgeons, 10 orthopaedic surgeons, 12 gyn-ob), there is a need for three anaestheticians in three shifts a day, three OT nurses in three shifts and a reliever and group ‘D’ staff to run the Emergency OT. Though the Dean and Director of BMC have been given the power to make appointments, it has been delayed as the funding is yet to be released.