Cardiology Department at TVM Medical College faces shortage of surgery equipment

Thiruvananthapuram: Surgical companies have halted the supply of equipment needed for heart surgeries to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College for over a week. Despite this, the state health department has not yet intervened. The medical college hospital owes Rs 49.18 crores to various surgical companies. The association of surgical companies has decided to stop supplying equipment to the hospital until it clears its dues up to December last year.

Doctors at the hospital have reported facing a shortage of equipment, especially for critical surgeries. Specialised stents are required for each patient based on their blood vessel measurements, necessitating a variety of stent types to be readily available. The concerned doctors have already notified the hospital authorities about the situation. The hospital conducts sixteen scheduled surgeries daily, along with accommodating five emergency surgeries. Some days may see even more surgeries.

 Catheters, guide wires, stents, and balloons are essential for performing angioplasties. The absence of any of these devices could result in the cancellation of surgeries.

Reports indicate that over 200 surgeries in the urology department were delayed due to faulty equipment.

However, Hospital Superintendent Dr. B S Sunil Kumar has maintained that there is no crisis. He mentioned that a cheque of Rs 2.5 crores has been handed over to the distributors.

No relief amidst rising heat

Patients are facing difficulties due to the sweltering temperatures, particularly in ward numbers 1 and 28. For instance, in ward 28, patients from surgery, medicine, orthopedics, and psychiatry are all accommodated together.

Two patients are sharing each bed in both wards, and those on drips are forced to lie on the ward veranda. Ward 28, covered with asbestos sheets, exacerbates the heat inside.

"The heat is unbearable. Given the situation here, I fear it will be extremely hard to secure a bed," says a native of Nedumangad.

Construction works in multiple wards have contributed to this situation. A dispute with KIIFB over cost estimates has delayed the construction of the new hospital building.