Growing number of patients stretches doctors to limits
Over 400 expectant moms visit RIMS daily
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 19 2015:
Doctors in RIMS Gynae OPD have been facing a hard time as the number of pregnant women and expecting mothers who come to the hospital is too many.
Although there are a dozen private hospitals and clinics, more than 400 women come to RIMS Gynae OPD everyday on the average for different medical reasons.
It is RIMS which is now under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government where the maximum number of pregnant women and expecting mothers come for medical examination.
This is in spite of the fact that there were some cases of tragic incidents which took place at the time of child delivery.
In spite of those isolated tragic incidents, it appears that people have more faith in gynaecologists working in RIMS than fellow gynaecologists working elsewhere.
Long queues of pregnant women and expecting mothers have become a regular feature in RIMS Gynae OPD.
The scene is even more suffocating in front of the ticket counter.
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After booking tickets, the women have to wait for hours before they are examined.
A group of women can be seen siting around doctors and staff who were examining a pregnant woman or an expecting mother.
There is little time for interaction between patients and doctors.
Doctors would ask a couple of questions and they would prescribe medicines and fix a date for the next consultation.
It is only for those patients who are critical that the attending doctors spared a few more minutes.
One gynaecologist told The Sangai Express that around 350 patients can be managed in a day at the most by the existing number of doctors, paramedical staff and the available space.
But there are times when around 550 patients come for medical examination in a single day.
There were 580 patients last Wednesday.
Given this reality, there is no time for examining any patient thoroughly.
Despite knowing the fact that RIMS gynaecologists are not in a position to examine patients thoroughly, the number of patients has been rising everyday.
This testifies that people have faith in RIMS.
It's time for the RIMS authority to take up necessary measures so that the medical institution can serve the public satisfactorily, said the gynaecologist.
Another gynaecologist said that there have been no more case of tragic deaths during child delivery at RIMS this year except for two isolated cases.
Death of women during child delivery cannot be prevented 100 per cent even in this age at the international level too.
However, gynae ward has seen little changes since RIMS was established in 1972 .
Though the number of beds has been increased, adequate accommodation cannot be arranged for the ever growing number of OPD patients.
With all the beds already occupied, a number of expecting mothers could be seen lying on the floor awaiting their turn for child delivery.
The number of OT tables is quite inadequate as compared to the number of patients who need CS operation in a day.
This shortage often delays CS operations which only breeds wrong perceptions among patients and their parties about the attending doctors as well as the hospital.
There have been many complaints of negligence or laxity.
But it appears that RIMS authority has little idea about all the difficulties encountered by gynaecologists on daily basis, he added.