Surgeries Resume at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College After Equipment Shortage Controversy

Surgeries that were previously halted at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital resumed yesterday following the arrival of essential medical equipment. The halt in surgeries within the Urology Department due to a lack of equipment had become a major controversy after a public revelation by Dr. Harris Chirakkal, the Head of the Urology Department.

Surgical procedures were able to recommence only after the necessary equipment, specifically Lithoclast probe instruments, were flown in from Hyderabad yesterday morning. Dr. Harris had posted on social media on Saturday, highlighting the plight of patients suffering due to the shortage of surgical instruments.

Following the controversy, the government appointed an expert committee to investigate the matter. The committee’s examination also confirmed the deficiency of medical equipment. The committee further suggested that the authority of medical college superintendents to procure equipment is limited and recommended that these procedures be updated and simplified in a timely manner.