Shimoga’s free healthcare and medical education (DL)

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I think we have all learned to expect the unexpected on this trip but my vocational visit to a government-run hospital and medical college in Shimoga certainly put me to the test. I thought that catching sight of students working on a cadaver in Mangalore was enough but here I got to see much more than I had ever thought (hoped) I would see in my entire life! I was taken on a tour of the anatomy department of the medical college where there were lots of different body parts on display, including embryos. However, I was then taken into another room where there were brains on slabs waiting to be dissected. I was then told to go through to a small back room and to get close to a tank. Well, there was not just one but three bodies in it! I also saw chopped up body parts in another basin. This tour was not long after breakfast so I’m very pleased I did not have any adverse reactions to what I saw!

Back in the district hospital, I was taken round the paediatric ward and gave the children a small toy to play with. I was informed that families are educated about the importance of nutrition and that meals are tailored to the needs of the children. The mothers of babies that require hospital treatment are able to stay in a separate ward so that they can continue to breast feed. I also visited the intensive care unit where I was surprised to see so many twins.

I then had the opportunity to speak to a member of staff about some of the issues that healthcare services in England face and I was told that there are some similarities. The hospital does not conduct any form of quality of care assessment but does have a very open complaints and suggestions policy. Patients can contact relevant hospital staff directly by telephone 24/7 and any issues are looked into straight away.

This was my last vocational visit of the trip and I have had the opportunity to see things that I would not be able to see back home. I haven’t quite managed to get the full picture of healthcare services so I may have to come back!

Di

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Comments

[Melvyn]

Youe certainly seem to have had a 'close up' visit. It woluld appear that your job does not exist, at least in the part of India youe are visiting.