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Hospital Overhaul: Outdated Staffing to Get Major Update
22 Sep
Summary
- Government to update 1960s hospital staff patterns.
- New doctor and support staff posts to be created.
- Critical care block funded by national health mission.
The Kerala government is undertaking a significant revision of hospital staff patterns, last updated in the 1960s, to address the excessive workload on healthcare professionals. In collaboration with the Finance Department, new positions for doctors and support staff are planned to be established and filled across various hospitals, including primary health centres.
This initiative was highlighted during the foundation stone laying for a new critical care block at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. This facility is one of 631 nationwide, funded by the Centre's Pradhan Manthri- Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission to boost critical care capacity. Existing vacancies will be filled, alongside the creation of new posts.
The new critical care block, spanning 36,000 sq.ft., will provide emergency specialist treatment. It is being constructed by HLL Lifecare Limited and is expected to be completed within 18 months. The design includes three floors, with provisions for two additional floors in the future, and will house various departments from casualty to intensive care units.
Despite these infrastructural developments, public health activists have cautioned that modern facilities require adequate human resources. They advocate for state budget allocations to ensure sufficient staffing and operational funding for these new critical care facilities, emphasizing that infrastructure alone is insufficient without trained personnel to operate it.
