Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, the tertiary care hospital for the entire western region, says they have a 10% shortage of doctors and an immeasurable shortage of nurses. The hospital’s performance in critical surgeries like organ transplants has been affected by the absence of enough nephrologists and neurologists.
According to the hospital records, 35 posts of specialist doctors are vacant, while it is short of around 90% “required” nursing staff. A senior official with the health services department said, “As per the Mudaliar committee recommendations, we need 1,200 staff nurses. But we have only around 10% of that strength.”
Pointing out that CMCH has only two nephrologists and a urologist in the transplant team, the official said, “The hospital has been sanctioned two more nephrologists, but the case is in court,” A few doctors have got a stay order from the court against the postings.
CMCH dean Dr B Ashokan, however, said they hadn’t so far turned away patients, citing shortage of doctors. “We have only three doctors in the renal transplant team. But we haven’t ever turned away any kidney failure patient in the outpatient department or denied them a bed.”
The hospital has performed just 24 renal transplants so far. But it is often compared with the Madras Medical College, which first did a transplant in 1996. “They have 10 professors and 12 assistant professors, while we have just two. Even the government hospital in Salem has more specialist doctors than what we have,” said a senior doctor.
The CMCH has placed around 60 patients in the waiting list of Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu. Of them, 30 are active.
The health official said if the vacancies were filled, the hospital would be able to perform more renal transplants. “A transplant, especially a cadaver transplant, can’t be performed during the current shift timing of 9am to 2pm. There is only one nephrology professor and an assistant professor. They can only take a certain workload, as patients’ lives are at risk. If staff are available, we can have an assistant professor level doctor round the clock,” he said.
According to the hospital records, 35 posts of specialist doctors are vacant, while it is short of around 90% “required” nursing staff. A senior official with the health services department said, “As per the Mudaliar committee recommendations, we need 1,200 staff nurses. But we have only around 10% of that strength.”
Pointing out that CMCH has only two nephrologists and a urologist in the transplant team, the official said, “The hospital has been sanctioned two more nephrologists, but the case is in court,” A few doctors have got a stay order from the court against the postings.
CMCH dean Dr B Ashokan, however, said they hadn’t so far turned away patients, citing shortage of doctors. “We have only three doctors in the renal transplant team. But we haven’t ever turned away any kidney failure patient in the outpatient department or denied them a bed.”
The hospital has performed just 24 renal transplants so far. But it is often compared with the Madras Medical College, which first did a transplant in 1996. “They have 10 professors and 12 assistant professors, while we have just two. Even the government hospital in Salem has more specialist doctors than what we have,” said a senior doctor.
The CMCH has placed around 60 patients in the waiting list of Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu. Of them, 30 are active.
The health official said if the vacancies were filled, the hospital would be able to perform more renal transplants. “A transplant, especially a cadaver transplant, can’t be performed during the current shift timing of 9am to 2pm. There is only one nephrology professor and an assistant professor. They can only take a certain workload, as patients’ lives are at risk. If staff are available, we can have an assistant professor level doctor round the clock,” he said.
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