Mananthavady: The growing number of patients seeking treatment at the government medical college in Wayanad is overwhelming both patients as well as the healthcare system.

Patients are able to get OP tickets only after waiting in the queue in front of the OP ticket counter for hours. After that, they will have to wait again in front of various OP departments to consult the doctors. Long queues are often seen in front of the lab and pharmacy too, with people waiting for hours to get the test results and medicines.

The crowds could be controlled at least temporarily only by switching to the e-health facility. The e-health facility that has been successfully implemented in CHCs isn’t introduced in the medical college hospital yet.

Long lines of patients are seen in front of the OP ticket counters of Wayanad Medical College, even as various diseases, including flu, have been spreading among people. More than 2000 patients seek treatment at this hospital on a daily basis. 

Admissions begin
Meanwhile, the government has kick-started the land acquisition process to build the infrastructure, including an academic block, after the medical college got the permission to begin classes this year itself.

The authorities are trying to start the classes on September 22 as per the instructions of the National Medical Commission. Meanwhile, the admission process began on September 12.

The recommendation to hand over the land adjacent to the medical college for infrastructure development is decades old. This land, which is now covered in thickets and bushes is owned by the home ministry. 

Besides, the authorities are also trying to take over a building temporarily for the boys’ hostel. Meanwhile, there had been suggestions to hand over the land owned by the forest department in Ambukuthi in Mananthavady for the development of the medical college. Earlier, the forest department had a herb garden here. But, currently, a solar fencing service functions at this spot. 

This 25-acre land is just 1.5 kilometres from the medical college, making it an apt spot for developing the project. However, an application needs to be submitted via the central government’s Parivesh portal for using forest land for non-forest-related purposes. The health department and the district administration are trying to get this clearance as soon as possible.