Hospital struggles without adequate medical supplies

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 December 2003, 19:51 GMT]
Senior Physician at the Kaluvanchikudi Hospital in Batticaloa district, Dr.S.Vaseekaran, told TamilNet that although there has been steady increase in the number of patients, lack of medical supplies in the hospital has seriously hampered providing proper medical care to the patients.

Recent outbreak of virus fever in the area has imposed additional strain on hospital resources, Dr.Vaseekaran added.

Lack of basic facilities in wards also is affecting the welfare of resident patients.

Although the hospital was equipped with Xray facilities recently, because of the lack of a trained xray-technician, the xray unit is not being put to maximum use. The technician who is attached to the Kalmunai hospital helps to attend to the Kaluvanchikudi facilites one day a week providing temporary relief to patients whose treatment depends on proper diagnosis from xrays.

Kaluvanchikudi Hospital officials have requested the Health Ministry to appoint a permanent Xray technician to their facility, sources said.