Staff and patients suffer as pipes run dry at government hospitals

Summer troubles at government hospitals appear to be peaking as the waiting halls and a few units lack drinking water facilities, power supply and even proper ventilation.

Even though Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar assured recently that adequate water supply would be ensured at all government hospitals across the city, attendants and patients at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) rue that they have to shell out extra money on buying drinking water as drinking water is either unavailable in all the units or is unfit for drinking.

While two water tanks installed on the RGGGH premises receive water from Metrowater every day, they are not used by many patients, who allege that the water is murky and often unusable.

“I have been here for the past two weeks, but we buy water cans from outside the hospital every day. Though they have labelled the water tanks set up outside the hospital building as drinking water, the water was murky when I checked. I cannot risk health by using unfit drinking water and hence started to buy cans from outside,” said S Udhaya, an attendant of a patient admitted at RGGGH.

A visit to the hospital on Sunday revealed that the RO drinking water plant at the two waiting halls in RGGGH was set up two years ago. But only one of them is fully functional. The three drinking water taps in the waiting hall in tower one are also almost dry, with only one of them pouring out a thin stream of water. “We come from Perambur and was not sure if the water supply here would be regular. So we brought water cans from our home. For the past two weeks, a family member has been bringing water from home every day,” said Vasanthi, another attendant.

Vasanthi and other attendants of the patients at RGGGH who seek shelter in the waiting halls lamented that the big waiting halls have only two fans on each corner and there is poor ventilation. “We cannot go outside and sit because it is very hot. So we rest in the waiting halls. If they can add few more fans in the waiting hall, it will help counter the sweltering heat,” added Vasanthi.

The situation seems similar in other government hospitals in the city, too. The medical staff at the Institute of Child Health (ICH) said that though Metrowater tankers supply water to the hospital, groundwater supply to surgery units and other wards have been restricted.

“This is a regular issue every summer. Patients are finding it difficult to use Metrowater for drinking purposes because time and again they complain of sediments in the water. The medical staff have been instructed to ensure that enough drinking water is made available and units do not use an excess of it,” said a doctor at ICH on the condition of anonymity.

When contacted, the medical superintendent of RGGGH Dr Narayana Swami said that Metrowater supply is received every day and that water is potable.

“We also have groundwater supply, and in order to meet the need of drinking water, additional tanks were installed. Amma drinking water centre is also available on the campus and patients can use it. If there is any issue related to lack of drinking water, the hospital authorities will look into it,” said Dr Narayana Swami.

It is not just the patients, but the medical staff, too, complain of other issues such as power cuts at Royapettah Government Hospital and Institute of Child Health (ICH). The State Health Department officials said that authorities have contacted the metro water authorities to prioritise and ensure that adequate water supply is maintained at all government hospitals.

“The government hospital authorities under Directorate of Public Health, Directorate of Medical Services and Directorate of Medical Education have been instructed to keep a check on the availability of drinking water and ensure there is no shortage. Some parts of the State have received rainfall. The condition in the city will improve as monsoon picks up,” said Director of Public Health Dr K Kolandaisamy.