Odisha train accident: Government hospitals prepared to treat passengers being brought to Chennai

Government hospitals prepared to treat passengers requiring treatment

Government hospitals in Chennai are prepared to treat passengers who were onboard the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, and were being brought to Chennai in a special train. Six medical teams will be in place at the Chennai Central Railway Station to triage them, Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi said on Saturday.

Inspecting the arrangements in place at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) here, he said instructions were given to the RGGGH to be prepared for treating the passengers.

“There is an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 40 beds and life-saving equipment at the RGGGH. Additionally, there are 60 to 70 casualty beds. The dean has said that about 200 beds were also available,” he said. The deans of Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital and Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital were told to keep the ICUs and wards ready. While 70 beds were available at the Stanley Medical College Hospital, the KMC had 40 beds. The Government Royapettah Hospital, and Peripheral hospitals at Periyar Nagar and Saidapet were told to be ready in case of any eventuality.

The Health Secretary later visited the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station. “There will be six medical teams at the station to attend to the passengers and triage them. If there is a need, they will be shifted to hospitals in ambulances. Ten ambulances are kept ready to transport them,” Mr. Bedi said.

Director of Medical Education R. Shanthimalar and RGGGH dean E. Theranirajan were present.