Kerala's Health Department launched an action plan to stop patients being admitted on hospital floors. The initiative begins at medical college hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Health Minister K. Muraleedharan announced the plan Sunday. The goal is to eliminate floor admissions entirely.
Thiruvananthapuram Hospital Reforms
The fever clinic at Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, will move. It will relocate to the Pulayanarkotta Chest Disease Hospital. This move creates immediate space at the main hospital. Approximately 200 beds are prepared at Pulayanarkotta. This will accommodate patients from the relocated clinic.
Kozhikode Hospital Overcrowding Solution
A new ward block is planned for Kozhikode Medical College. This will address overcrowding. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds will finance the construction. Patients currently on the floor will move to the new wards. The campus has space for the additional building.
Action Plan Key Areas
The plan targets several key areas for improvement. These focus on eliminating floor admissions and improving patient care.
- Primary Goal: Eliminate floor admissions and single-bed sharing.
- Funding: Solicit CSR funds from corporations for hospital upgrades.
- Quality & Safety: Enforce standardized surgical protocols. This aims to prevent medical negligence.
- Hygiene: Establish in-house community kitchens. This will restrict outside food entry.
- Disease Prevention: Form an expert committee. They will create a localized 'Epidemic Calendar' for seasonal disease forecasting.
Implementation Details
The Department of Health and Medical Education is overseeing the reforms. These changes aim to share the patient burden. They will also prevent hospital overcrowding.
The fever clinic's relocation to Pulayanarkotta is an urgent measure. It frees up casualty space at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Pulayanarkotta hospital will receive 200 additional beds. This is to handle the influx of patients. Coordination between the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) is managed. They are overseeing all reform activities.
