The Srirangam Government Hospital (SGH), which began functioning as a small dispensary in 1873, is in urgent need for an infrastructure upgrade. The public healthcare facility on Gandhi Road is struggling to cater to over 700 outpatients and up to 120 inpatients, in a sprawling complex of varied vintage buildings.
“In the COVID-19 years, the building housing the male medical ward was condemned as unfit for occupation, so it has been locked up. The Inpatient block, which is 40-50 years old and Casualty block (over 100 years) had multiple civil repairs. They were certified as unstable and not suitable for further repairs. We are still using these buildings until we get an alternative option,” a senior SGH official told The Hindu on Tuesday.
The hospital has the departments of General Medicine, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Ear Nose Throat, Orthopaedics, Pediatrics, Radiology, Labour Ward and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Dialysis facility is also available at SGH.
In September 2024, Minister for Health Ma. Subramanian had said that two old buildings at the SGH would be demolished and a new structure would be built soon.
On Monday, Tiruchi Collector V. Saravanan inspected the hospital, notably the kitchen and various other departments. “We have been asked to get an estimate for a completely new premises here by the Collector. With new specialisations, and modern technology, the hospital needs to upgrade its services,” said the official.
Even though the upcoming Srirangam bus stand opposite the SGH premises could create pollution and traffic problems, relocation was impossible because of the non-availability of suitable sites within the temple city, said the official.
Doctors point out that the shortage of nurses is a more pressing issue at the SGH. Only 29 staff nurses work at the hospital. At the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) wing, at least eight staff nurses must be posted separately, but none have been allocated so far.
“Despite these issues, SGH continues to receive patients, especially from the rural communities in the vicinity. The area’s people reach out to us first. Only those that cannot be treated here are referred to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi,” said the senior official.
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