Famed Kerala urologist says Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital in dire straits

Thiruvananthapuram, June 28 (IANS) A social media post by a popular urologist, who heads the Urology Department at the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital here, has raised eyebrows about the sorry state of affairs prevailing where a vast majority of its patients are from the poor and weaker sections of the society.

Incidentally his post has come at a time when the journalist-turned-Kerala Health Minister Veena George often speaks about the quality of healthcare being given to patients in the state-run hospitals.

The post which surfaced on Saturday following a huge discussion about it, Haris Chirackal withdrew it and posted a fresh one wherein he says that all what he said in his withdrawn post is true.

In the withdrawn post Chirackal said that there is a huge shortage of equipment and medical supplies in his department and it has been affecting proper and timely treatment to his patients.

"I know that I have done my best to ensure the patients who come to my department get the best treatment, but the other day I felt really dejected when I had to postpone a surgery on a patient whose age is that of my son due to shortage of equipment. I am really tired of running from pillar to post seeking funds and fresh supply of equipment. I am not interested in a clash with the bureaucracy. Let my services be terminated," wrote the doctor in the now withdrawn post.

In his fresh post, Chirackal said his only aim and objective is to provide the best patient care to his patients and work as a team for which he says he gets the full cooperation from his staff.

"Being the Head of the Department, I am fully immersed in my work and do not go on tours or even take part in family events as I know I have to be with my patients as this is the institution that I studied from and if I am not able to give justice to my patients then there is no purpose in my working here," he said in a new social media post.

But after his post created huge traction, the health authorities were quick in denial.

"What Chirackal said is not true. As much as Rs 50 lakhs worth equipment purchase was made in the Urology department which includes 45 equipment. A probe that got delayed on Friday and one case posted for surgery had to be postponed and three were done in the Urology department," the authorities said.

Meanwhile, senior medical professional and a former student S.S. Lal, a popular health consultant, said what Chirackal said is nothing new as in the past six to seven years there is a problem in the functioning of the hospitals here.

"My classmate previously headed the Urology department here, who used his own funds to buy equipment so that patients don't get affected. The case is more or less the same in many state-run hospitals. The budgeting for the Health department is flawed. When the world is discussing on the health care to be adopted in 2050, here we just can't do anything on how our hospitals will be able to function tomorrow," said Lal, who was a Congress candidate from the Kazhakootam Assembly constituency here during the 2021 state Assembly polls.

--IANS

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