Hamirpur medical college struggles to handle patient load

Dinesh Kanwar

Hamirpur, September 28

Dr Radhakrishanan Government Medical College and Hospital (RKGMCH) here is struggling to cope with the increased patient load. Although there are 250 beds in the hospital but over 300 patients have been admitted.

Sources in the hospital said the spurt in the number of admitted patients had been due to the changing weather. To accommodate all patients, some beds are being shared by two patients. Extra beds have also been placed in the corridors of the hospital. But unlike the beds in the wards, which are equipped with regular oxygen supply and other medical equipment, these facilities are missing from the beds in corridors.

Moreover, despite spending crores of rupees, the RKGMCH management is struggling to maintain the hospital properly. The wards on the top floor of the hospital’s building had dampness on the walls.

More than 1,500 patients daily visit Outpatient Department at RKGMCH. Of these around 100 patients are admitted while a similar number of people are discharged from the hospital. The number of intake increases on the days when surgeries are conducted.

Opposition leaders from the city alleged that the hospital had turned into referral hospital as patients with minor ailments also being referred to Medical Colleges in Tanda, Kangra, and Shimla.

Dr Ramesh Chauhan, Medical Superintendent of the RKGMCH, said the hospital was trying to accommodate as many as patients. “The problem of accommodating the patients will ease once the hospital building at the new campus site gets complete. Only those cases are being referred from here for which specialists are not available at the RKGMCH. The academic activity would soon be shifted to new campus as it will be completed soon,” he added.

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