Date:14/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/14/stories/2008051459641200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Varsity to offer courses in hospital administration

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The newly started Department of Hospital Administration at Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University will offer postgraduate degrees and diplomas in hospital administration after getting approval from the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

The department, the first of its kind in the public sector in the State, will offer doctors and non-medical persons an opportunity to take up courses in hospital administration.

Says Vice-Chancellor Meer Mustafa Hussain, “We do not need the approval of the Medical Council of India to start these courses, and we hope to get the necessary clearance by August so as to offer them this year itself.”

The university is scouting for staff to comply with the specifications of the University Grants Commission. The department held its first seminar on Tuesday, focussing on one of the key components of hospital administration — bio-medical waste disposal.

Inaugurating the seminar, Health Secretary V.K. Subburaj said the recent lapses reported in the government health sector had occurred due to hospital maladministration. “We have not trained our staff properly in administration. The weakest point in government hospitals is administration. It is good, therefore, that such a department has been started in the university.”

A review of the Government Stanley Hospital undertaken last year revealed that the hospital staff were dumping medical waste on sunshades of the building. There was a need for greater awareness among hospital workers and doctors of the need to dispose of bio-medical waste properly. A good system was in place in some hospitals, and the Health Department was planning to initiate bio-medical waste management, in collaboration with the private sector, for all government healthcare institutions.

Training had started under the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, Mr. Subburaj said. Over 41,000 hospital staff in 29 districts would be trained at a cost of Rs.1.64 crore. The disposal policy was based on the special needs of the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programmes, and was evolved in consultation with the Pollution Control Board.

Orders had been placed for buying consumables such as colour bin, bags, trolleys and needle destroyers at a cost of Rs.6.60 crore, Mr.Subburaj said. The waste would be treated in the private sector’s common bio-medical waste treatment facilities. Waste disposal in private hospitals remained an issue.

Dr. Hussain stressed the importance of appropriate bio-medical waste processing and disposal and the need to ensure the safety of handlers and patients.

P. Jeevanandam, head, Department of Hospital Administration, said that even in-service professionals could be trained in bio-medical waste management.

Governing council member V. Ravichandran, Tamil Nadu Medical Council member K. Balasubramanian and T. Kannan, Registrar (in charge) of the university, spoke.