Latest news with #MCH
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
ICU bed capacity increased at Alappuzha MCH
The number of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Alappuzha, has been increased. As part of the expansion of the Multidisciplinary Intensive Care Unit (MDICU) at the hospital, 10 beds have been added in the Medicine department at a cost of ₹12 lakh. The MDICU earlier had 16 beds in the Surgery unit and nine in the Step-down unit. With the addition of 10 more beds in the Medicine ICU, the number of ICU beds in these sections has increased to 35. Another two beds are available in the Isolation unit, taking the total number of ICU beds in the MDICU to 37. When the beds in the room that previously functioned as Ward 8 were shifted to the Super Speciality Block, the resulting vacant space was used to set up a new Emergency ICU with nine beds. The Trauma ICU also has nine beds. With this, apart from the ICU in the Super Speciality Block, there are now 55 ICU beds in the old building complex. H. Salam, MLA, said that the increase in ICU beds would make it possible to provide emergency care to more critically ill patients and, to some extent, reduce the need to transfer such patients to other hospitals. Mr. Salam had earlier written to Health Minister Veena George requesting an increase in the number of ICU beds at the hospital. The MLA inaugurated the renovated Medicine ICU on Thursday. Government Medical College, Alappuzha, Principal B. Padmakumar; MCH superintendent A. Harikumar; Medicine department head Suresh Raghavan; MDICU nodal officer N. R. Sajikumar; chief nursing officer P.K. Usha; nursing superintendents S. Mini, M. Nalini, G. Jalajamma, E.G. Sheeba and others attended.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Historians call for Ministry for Culture and Heritage job cuts to be reversed
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is proposing to cut up to six historian roles. Photo: RNZ / Quin Tauetau Historians are calling on the government to reverse proposed job cuts at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. It is proposing to cut up to six historian positions, leaving about four in place, among a total of 24 positions slated to go. In a statement, eight historian organisations said this was profoundly alarming and threatened to "dismantle decades of world-class historical scholarship, shutter vital resources for history research, and harm public education." "Our history deserves better," said the joint statement from The Professional Historians' Association, New Zealand Historical Association, History Teachers' Association, National Oral History Association, Archives and Records Association, Archaeological Association, Historic Places Aotearoa and the Society of Genealogists. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) said in its proposal document it no longer had the focus, or the resources, to create history content or keep what it had up to date. It proposes to axe most positions working on digital content. The job of carillonist, who plays the bells in the tower of the Pukeahu war memorial in Wellington, would also go. The historian organisations said the characterisation of this work as somehow separate from the MCH's legislative mandate demonstrated a troubling narrowing of vision about what constitutes essential cultural heritage work. "Far from being peripheral activities, the creation and maintenance of historical content is essential cultural infrastructure that allows New Zealanders to better understand who we are." The ministry has been asked for comment. Its restructure last year set it up as "cultural system steward and policy adviser to government", its proposal said. With Budget 2025 cutting $8m from the ministry over four years, it would have to do less, "focused on activities that are required due to legislation, regulation or other mandate", and fewer activities in the community. Read more: How many public sector jobs have really been axed? The historian organisations said "irreplaceable" expertise would be lost in order to make only modest savings. "We call upon the government to ... ensure continuity of the oral history and research funding programmes that have supported New Zealand scholarship for over 30 years", they said, as well as preserve education outreach programmes to schools. Matt Woodbury, co-president of the Professional Historians' Association, one of eight groups, said the ministry was putting irreplaceable roles and online history resources in jeopardy. "I just wonder if they're not fully aware of the high standard and rates of use that these resources have." They were not niche, specialist online resources, but ones the likes of schools used. Getting rid of MCH historians who created and updated the content seemed to run against the work being done to introduce a new Aoteraoa histories curriculum, Woodbury said. Co-president Rebecca Lenihan said: "The impact on teachers if these resources are lost is going to be absolutely horrendous, for secondary history and social studies teachers, but for primary teachers too - how teachers are supposed to implement the new history curriculum efficiently and effectively without such resources at their fingertips is beyond me." [ Finance Minister Nicola Willis has directed public service departments to identify savings] options of either 6.5 or 7.5 percent to help reduce annual public service spending by $1.5 billion. National had campaigned on cutting back-office expenditure across 24 public agencies, as part of its "Back Pocket Boost" tax plan.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Surgical Gastro dept. at Thiruvananthapuram MCH celebrates golden jubilee
The Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Thiruvananthapuram, the very first department to be established in a medical college to deal exclusively with complex gastrointestinal (GI) conditions needing surgical treatment in the country, has turned 50 years. A two-day event, including a continuing medical education programme and an alumni get together was organised here over the weekend to celebrate the golden jubilee of the department. Established in 1975 under the leadership of N. Rajan, the Surgical Gastroenterology department here has trained many of the renowned and leading GI surgeons of the day, some of whom are currently heading major training centres in India and abroad. Working closely with the Department of Medical Gastroenterology, established in 1973, the Surgical Gastroenterology department worked its way up and soon, patients were being offered surgical treatment for Chronic pancreatitis and Portal hypertension, besides surgeries for GI cancers. The 22nd national conference of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology in 1981 was jointly hosted by the Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology departments, which was also an occasion to showcase the excellent academic and clinical work done in the field in this part of the country. The work done by the department grew in leaps and bounds as more faculty joined the department in the 80s. The Surgical Gastroenterology superspeciality (MCh) course was started in 1996 and it was at the time one of the few training centres in the country to offer the MCh programme. With the starting of the MCh course, patient care and training activities further improved, establishing the Department as a referral point for major GI surgical problems. The opening of the super specialty block in 2011, as part of the PMSSY project was another major milestone in improving patient care. The opening of the multi specialty block and the expansion of the critical care unit with state-of-the-art facilities in 2018-19, further expanded the field for Surgical Gastroenterology, which began managing several patients with critical GI issues. Major open and laparoscopic surgeries for GI cancers, pre-cancerous conditions and chronic diseases are carried out on a daily basis at the department now. It has also begun to carry out liver transplants in a public-private partnership mode, with the support of the transplant team from KIMSHEALTH and other sister specialities. The department has also brought out 25 publications in indexed journals and is currently conducting a randomised controlled trial in pancreatic surgery, apart from basic research in genetics and colon cancer.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
At Pilibhit medical college, new moms suffer chemical burns after C-section; probe on
In a case of medical negligence, nearly a dozen women have reportedly suffered chemical burns on the back of their bodies during cesarean section (C-section) they underwent at the MCH or maternal and child health wing of the Pilibhit medical college. The surgeries under scrutiny took place over the last couple of weeks. The burns were severe enough to leave lasting scars. The issue has sparked widespread concern and administrative response. Allegedly, the burns occurred due to improper post-operative care. Medicines, such as antiseptic Betadine, used during the surgeries were allegedly not properly cleaned from the patients' bodies before they were shifted to the ward. Meanwhile, some doctors pointed to the possibility of the mishandling of medical equipment such as the diathermy machine. The incident came to public attention when images of one patient's back with burn injuries surfaced on social media, prompting officials to take action. Although the authenticity of these images has not been verified, the authorities have launched an investigation. Among the affected women is Chaman Devi, a resident of Gajraula region, who underwent a C-section on June 2. Other patients who have alleged negligence by the hospital are Princi, Birla Devi, Roop Devi, and Raskumari. In response to the allegations, chief medical officer (CMO) Dr. Alok Kumar Sharma has issued a notice to the MCH chief medical superintendent (CMS). 'This incident highlights gross negligence during post-operative care of new mothers. A notice has been served to the CMS, and we are awaiting a detailed explanation,' the CMO said. Dr. Sangeeta Aneja, the principal of medical college, said: 'Disinfectants such as Betadine used during C-sections were not cleaned properly after the surgery. This is a clear case of negligence. We are investigating the matter and will take appropriate action.'
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Specimen collection van launched at medical college hospital campus
T hiruvananthapuram: A specimen collection van from Institute of Advanced Virology in Thonnakkal was launched within the medical college hospital (MCH) campus, on Wednesday. The van accepts samples of viral diseases not tested in the medical college's multidisciplinary research lab and will be taken to the institute for testing. The test results are sent directly to the doctors. The main advantage of this system, implemented by the state health department, is that patients and their relatives do not have to travel to Thonnakkal with samples and wait there to collect the results. The sample collection van, which was inaugurated by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier this year, is equipped with facilities such as a bio-safety cabinet, centrifuges for processing samples and ice-lined refrigerators, among other systems. Samples are accepted on all working days from 9.30am to 12.30pm at the medical college campus. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
