T.N. doctors flag staffing, infrastructure gaps at new government hospitals

LCC President warns of critical shortages in key healthcare facilities, urging immediate intervention to prevent erosion of public trust.

The Legal Coordination Committee for Government Doctors (LCC) has flagged critical shortages and operational gaps in key healthcare facilities in Tamil Nadu, warning that the absence of timely intervention could erode public trust in the State’s healthcare infrastructure.

LCC president S. Perumal Pillai, in a detailed appeal, raised concerns about serious understaffing and the lack of essential medical equipment at the National Center for Ageing in Guindy, which was inaugurated over 16 months ago. Of the 24 sanctioned posts in the geriatrics department, only 15 doctors are on duty. The hospital, which shows 56 nurses on its roster, actually functions with only 30 regular staff, many of whom are either on deputation from other government hospitals or working under temporary contracts.

While the facility houses four fully constructed operation theatres, no surgeries have been performed in key departments such as ENT, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and urology due to the absence of surgical equipment and anaesthesia services. Dental chairs too remain uninstalled, leaving that unit non-functional.

The situation in Salem’s Ammapettai Government Hospital is equally troubling, the LCC pointed out. Built at a cost of ₹42 crore, the 100-bed facility was launched to expand suburban healthcare access. However, no permanent doctors have been appointed so far, prompting the State to rely entirely on deputations from the Salem Government Medical College. Eight doctors and several nurses now divide their time between the institutions, putting pressure on both facilities. Surgeries and deliveries are being carried out with existing staff, but the LCC contended that long-term sustainability is uncertain without formal appointments.

In Tirunelveli, the Ramasamy Memorial Government Hospital at Kandiapperi, constructed with Japanese aid at a total cost of ₹39 crore, faces a similar operational strain. Though outpatient footfall remains high, inpatient admissions are low due to public hesitation stemming from the lack of dedicated medical personnel. Currently, 25 doctors and 45 nurses are rotated in from Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, leaving both institutions overburdened and raising concerns about the quality and consistency of care.

The LCC has linked these systemic issues to broader concerns over government policy. While acknowledging the administration’s efforts to expand healthcare access, the committee pointed to the absence of proper staffing, delayed salary payments, and the lack of permanent recruitment as undermining the intent behind these projects.

With a protest march from Mettur to Chennai slated to begin on June 11, the LCC has demanded the immediate appointment of doctors and support staff in all these hospitals, adequate provision of essential medical equipment, and implementation of pay band four for government doctors within 12 years, as per Government Order 354.