TOI Impact: Health dept officials descend on RGGGH for corrective measures

Chennai: A day after a TOI report exposed the poor state of patient care and crumbling basic facilities at the Rajiv Gandhi Govt General Hospital, senior health department officials, led by health secretary Dr Darez Ahamed, conducted an inspection of the premises on Saturday and directed authorities to take immediate corrective measures.The inspection followed complaints highlighted by TOI regarding unhygienic toilets, non-functional drinking water units, overcrowded corridors, unattended help desks and long waiting hours for patients, particularly in the dialysis and radiology departments.Speaking to TOI, Dr Darez Ahamed said several urgent instructions had been issued. "Several measures have been prioritized, including fixing signage boards and drinking water facility. The dialysis unit currently has only 40 machines, and more will be arranged," he said.He said the health department would begin mapping the addresses of dialysis patients travelling long distances to the hospital so they could be referred to centres closer to their homes.The TOI report detailed how patients and attendants were forced to endure unhygienic conditions and inadequate infrastructure at one of the state's premier govt hospitals. Patients complained of hours-long wait times, foul-smelling restrooms near treatment areas and lack of proper queue management for senior citizens.Senior department officials accompanying the health secretary also reviewed sanitation, patient amenities and staffing concerns.