Kerala expands inpatient capacity by 820 beds at 4 Govt Medical Colleges

Thiruvananthapuram: Patients at four government medical colleges in Kerala are set to benefit from increased inpatient capacity, with the state Health Department adding 820 beds across medical colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Thrissur and Kozhikode to address overcrowding and prevent patients from being accommodated on hospital floors.

The expansion follows an initiative announced by Health Minister K Muraleedharan in July, directing government hospitals to ensure that no patient is forced to lie on the floor due to inadequate bed availability.

Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has received the largest addition, with 300 additional beds added. The move came after around 80 patients were reportedly found lying on the floor at the medical college.

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According to a Health Department official, the additional capacity was created after the fever clinic was shifted to Pulayanarkotta Chest Disease Hospital, freeing up space for inpatient services at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, reports The New Indian Express.

At Kottayam Medical College, another 160 beds have been added, while Kozhikode Medical College has also received 160 additional beds. At Thrissur Medical College, two additional wards have been established, providing 200 more beds.

The department said the requirement for additional beds was assessed by comparing the number of patients being admitted with the existing bed strength. Officials also cross-checked the inpatient registers and available bed capacity at the respective institutions before deciding on the additional arrangements.

"With the help of the superintendent and the staff at the medical college hospitals, we estimated the number of additional patients by cross-checking the inpatient register and bed strength. The additional beds have been arranged based on the numbers we have collected," said the official, according to the TNIE report.

The initiative is aimed at addressing the space constraints faced by patients seeking treatment at government medical colleges and improving inpatient capacity. It comes against the backdrop of the state government's commitment to end the practice of accommodating patients on hospital floors because of a shortage of beds.

With the latest additions, the four medical colleges have collectively gained 820 beds, providing additional space for patients requiring admission and helping address capacity pressures at the institutions. 

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