Patients suffer as inpatient wing of psychiatry department at Ernakulam General Hospital remains shut
The Hindu
KOCHI
Patients requiring deaddiction treatment are having a tough time as the inpatient wing of the psychiatry department at General Hospital, Ernakulam, remains shut.
The unit was closed down in the first week of September after the Public Works department (PWD) declared that the building was “unfit” owing to structural issues. The inpatient wing had 15 beds and was one of the most-sought-after deaddiction centres. Morever, the authorities have not been able to admit patients in other departments owing to shortage of space.
Volunteers who assist those suffering from alcoholism said that several patients needed inpatient care at least for a few weeks, and that most of them could not afford to seek treatment in private hospitals.
The health authorities admitted that the inpatient facility had to be shut down after the PWD gave a report that the building was unfit for use. Efforts to shift patients seeking admission in the psychiatry wing failed owing to lack of space in other departments, they said.
According to health officials, the cancer block at the hospital is expected to be ready by the end of December. “We hope that the inpatient facility of the psychiatry department could be shifted to the space which is now being used for cancer care. The PWD has already reported that the condition of the departments of gynaecology and paediatrics was also bad.”