Shortage of doctors and lack of facilities plague Ettayapuram Government Hospital

The Government Hospital at Ettayapuram in Thoothukudi District.
| Photo Credit: N. RAJESH

Amid growing healthcare challenges, villagers in and around Ettayapuram in Thoothukudi district are struggling due to shortage of doctors and limited diagnostic equipment at Ettayapuram Government Hospital.

People from around 50 villages of Ettayapuram taluk rely on the hospital for their medical needs, with most of them being daily wage workers and farmers. However, due to shortage of doctors, treatment for even a minor ailment requires hours of waiting. Patients have also complained that at times only one doctor is available, for both first aid/emergency and outpatient cases.

Kaliyaperumal from Ettaypuram says the shortage of doctors in the hospital has been prevalent for many years. “Most people here work on farms and belong to marginalised communities. They cannot afford to go private hospitals or travel long distances for treatment, eventually forcing them to wait for hours.”

A. Varadharajan says a single doctor manages all outpatient cases from morning to noon leading to excessive waiting time particularly for elderly patients and children. For essential diagnostic analysis such as X-ray, ECG, and scanning, they are referred to Kovilpatti government hospital due to lack of facilities. The government must provide the equipment as many villages around Ettayapuram depend on the hospital for treatment.

Sources say that although the hospital officially has five doctors, for about a few days in the last week only one was present due to absence or deputation of others. “On an average day, at least 250 outpatients visit the hospital. Due to shortage of doctors, other medical staff are stepping in to handle the crowd.”

Speaking on the issue, a senior health official from Thoothukudi district said that steps were being taken to address the issue and two additional doctors had been assigned to Ettayapuram government hospital.

The official also explained that the absence of an obstetrician-gynaecologist was due to deputation of the doctor to Kovilpatti government hospital, and other specialists were also due to their deputation to other government hospitals.