Adoor: The absence of ambulance services continues to cause chaotic situations at Adoor General Hospital, with not even one of its five ambulances restored to service.  On Sunday night, an argument broke out between the relatives of a patient, who had been referred to Kottayam Medical College, and a woman doctor on duty.

The dispute escalated into an attempted physical assault. Despite such serious incidents, authorities remain apathetic about resuming ambulance operations from the hospital.

Although there had been an earlier decision to restore at least one ambulance before August 10, the deadline passed without action. Of the total fleet, four ambulances were rendered unusable following accidents and are beyond repair.

The only remaining ambulance, which lacks a fitness certificate, had been slated for service before August 10 but has yet to be deployed. In the absence of hospital ambulances, patients are left distressed and forced to rely on private operators.

Growing concerns over security
Meanwhile, security concerns at the General Hospital, especially during night hours, are mounting. Recently, a group accompanying a patient attempted to assault a woman doctor during a dispute over ambulance availability. With such incidents recurring, staff, including women doctors in the emergency department, are increasingly worried about their safety.

The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has protested against the authorities’ apathy in strengthening security. While senior police officials claim that police services are available at night, the system often fails in practice. The fact that only one doctor is on duty in the emergency department at night further aggravates the situation.

Although doctors have repeatedly demanded stronger security measures during night shifts, no action has been taken so far. The Hospital Management Committee has also been hesitant to intervene.

Calls are now growing louder for an emergency meeting of the committee to address the security situation and ensure adequate protection for staff and patients.