The Hindu : Lack of operators renders lifts unusable in GH

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 16, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Lack of operators renders lifts unusable in GH

By K. Lakshmi

CHENNAI Feb. 15 . Patients at the Government General Hospital (GH) are often carried up the stairs on stretchers, even though the hospital is equipped with lifts, because most of them are without operators and lack necessary safety equipment.

The oldest being about 70-years-old, many lifts are a sight for sore eyes, with heaps of debris on them, left neglected. They lack a safety button, emergency lights, or a phone line, which are required during an emergency. Hospital personnel, including stretcher-bearers, are nervous of using them in the absence of an operator as they fear getting trapped in the lift. Interestingly, all lifts are required to be cleared by the Government, for which it collects taxes from installations having one.

It is increasingly common at the hospital to find visitors climbing the steep stairs after a long painful wait for help with the lift operation.

Out of 25 lift operators, only 14 are currently working at the GH. The vacant posts have not been filled since 1998, according to sources.

Important wards including Surgical and the Neurology block do not have lift operators. "We had to carry my husband to the fourth floor of the Neurology block, panting for breath all the way as we did not know how to operate the elevator," said Malathi, an attendant of a patient.

The problem is felt severely at the Specialty ward with six operation theatres in its block where a single operator has to manage three lifts. "Most of the people who are inexperienced with the usage of elevators wait for doctors or paramedical staff to guide them or prefer to climb the stairs rather than confront the risk," said a doctor.

An anaesthetist was recently alleged to have been trapped in one of the lifts. But, he was released as the operator accompanied him.

The lift at the Cardiothoracic block, which previously had halts at the second and third

Floor, is presently being operated directly to third floor as another lift has been constructed for the Orthopaedic ward to balance the crowd.

But, this arrangement poses a threat to the people during power failure as the opening for the lift in both the floors has been closed.

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