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Lack of staff, beds ails Cheluvamba Hospital

Mortality rate in 127-year-old hospital on the rise
Last Updated 16 February 2017, 18:33 IST

Inadequate facilities, insufficient wards, staff and equipment have added to the cup of woes of the state-run Cheluvamba Hospital which has already been in the dock for an increase in mortality rates.

The hospital, attached to the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI), is in need of additional beds at Intensive Care Unit and more ventilators as two to three children are being made to share a bed here.

The hospital caters to the needs of pregnant women and children from Mysuru rural, Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Kodagu districts. A majority of the people belonging to economically weaker sections depend on Cheluvamba Hospital for treatment making it essential for state to improve the facilities here.

In November 2016, six women admitted here for delivery died, while three of them developed complications after delivering through Caesarian section. Following the incident, six other women admitted to the hospital for delivery were shifted to private hospitals after they developed complications.

Last year, death rates were little high due to outbreak of dengue and viral flu. Around six children died of dengue while a few children died of heart ailments and pneumonia. According to sources, around 757 children died in 2016 and 130 foetus got aborted due to abnormalities. The number of deaths in 2014 was 755 and 753 in 2015.

According to a doctor, a heavy flow of patients, inadequate facilities and lack of sufficient wards, staff and equipment are adding to the mortality rate in the hospital.

Lack of facilities

Of the 9,500 children admitted to the hospital, last year, 472 children died due to various health issues. The hospital has a total bed capacity of around 410, including 130 beds in paediatric ward and 280 beds in gynaecology ward. It also has a designated neonatal ward and a diarrhoea diseases unit but there is a great demand for additional beds at Intensive Care Unit. At present two or three children are being accommodated in a single bed due to shortage of beds while ventilators are also insufficient.

Though the Health department is well aware about the issues, the authorities are not providing adequate facilities. Rural Literacy and Health Programme (RLHP) Director Saraswathi said that awareness programmes should be organised to educate the people about government schemes and facilities.

The hospital offers services to obstetrics, gynecology and paediatric patients and has specialised units providing neonatal care, paediatric surgery, diarrhoeal diseases treatment, immunisations and others.

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(Published 16 February 2017, 18:33 IST)

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