Powercut at Royapettah GH in Chennai hits healthcare services

CHENNAI: A few surgeries were suspended, bloodstock was shifted to other hospitals and other healthcare services were affected after power supply was hit at the Government Royapettah Hospital on Wednesday after an electric cable wire on the campus caught fire.According to sources, the power supply in the out-patient (OP) block, which houses important departments such as Intensive Medical Care Unit (IMCU), operation theatre, blood bank, medical OP, special ward and also medical ward, was cut around 8 am after a cable wire caught fire. Till late evening, the hospital managed the situation a little with generators. This forced the hospital management to cancel non-emergency surgeries listed for the day.

A source said emergency surgeries were conducted in the super multi-specialty hospital in the Omandurar estate. MCI and CT scan services were also suspended. This hit the medical services in the hospital.
Speaking to Express, a senior doctor said there were five generators in the hospital and they managed the situation with them. “Only half of IMCU was affected due to power cut. We are trying to restore the supply. We shifted blood to the super multi-specialty hospital and also to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. We managed the situation well,” the doctor saidThe doctor added that emergency surgeries were performed in other hospitals.