General ward in Chennai's Chromepet GH may reopen by Feb 15

In wake of fresh COVID cases showing up in the state, the general ward of the Chromepet Government Hospital, which was closed since March last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is likely to be reopened by February 15. 

Hospital authorities said that since COVID cases have gradually reduced, they may open the ward by February after disinfection. 

“We may close the COVID ward by February 1 and disinfect the whole hospital. This may take a few weeks,” said an official. 

The official said that all COVID patients and those with symptoms would be referred to the Chengalpet GH subsequently. 

This comes after demands by local residents to reopen the ward in the hospital, located in the southern suburbs of Chennai. About 1,500 outpatients used to come to the hospital every day before the pandemic. The 189-bed ward caters to patients from around a 10-kilometre radius.

However, now that cases have come down in the hospital and only one COVID patient is presently undergoing treatment there, residents have urged the authorities to open the ward. 

Activist V Santhanam, who is a resident of Chromepet, along with a dozen other residents, visited the hospital on Thursday, requesting the authorities to open the ward. 

“Because the ward is closed, even for minor ailments, residents have to travel to either the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital or Chengalpet GH, which is very far away,” he said. 

The 84-year-old activist said that if there are just one or two patients, they could be attached to other hospitals nearby, while the OP ward can be reopened. 

The hospital gets patients from surrounding localities such as Thiruneermalai, Padappai, Manivakam, and Pallavaram among others. 

“Even during COVID times, the maternity ward was functioning. It is high time they reopen the general ward too,” he added.