Notice on ‘operational limitations’ put up inside Government Medical College Hospital Pathanamthitta causes embarrassment

Amid concerns raised by the Health Minister over the alleged denigration of the public health system, a notice that appeared at one of the departments at the Government Medical College Hospital, Pathanamthitta, on Wednesday went on to expose inadequacies at the hospital – causing a major embarrassment to the authorities.

The notice posted on the walls at the Surgery wing of the hospital stated that patients coming for surgery should be aware of the hospital’s limitations, including the absence of adequate equipment, which could pose life-threatening risks. It also emphasised that the notice was issued because doctors performing the surgeries would bear full responsibility for the patients.

Soon as pictures of the notice came to public attention, the hospital superintendent intervened and had it removed.

Consent before surgery

Among the shortcomings highlighted in the notice were the lack of adequately trained staff, the risk of infections from paint peeling off on the walls and the unserviceability of the pharmacy after 5 p.m.

The notice also stressed that patients should be fully informed of these limitations and provide explicit consent before undergoing surgery, acknowledging the potential risks, including death.

Hospital authorities later confirmed that an explanation had been sought from the head of the Surgery department, Dr. Sivaprasad. “The notice was put up without the consent of either the hospital superintendent or any other concerned authorities. Hence, an explanation has been sought,” an official said.

Purported strategy

However, sources from the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association described the episode as part of a broader effort to practice `defensive medicine’. “Health Minister Veena George, despite being fully aware of the systemic inadequacies in medical college hospitals, often targets doctors when incidents occur due to lapses in the system. Since these shortcomings are rarely addressed proactively, doctors must take measures to protect themselves, and this notice is part of that strategy,” they explained.

They added that notices like these serve to directly inform patients while safeguarding doctors, citing the recent case of alleged medical negligence at Alappuzha Medical College as the immediate trigger for the action.