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The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
GRH introduces ‘Grief Counselor' to provide details on health condition of patients
Government Rajaji Hospital here has introduced 'Grief Counsellor' with the main objective to provide timely information and updates regarding the status of the patient's health condition to the family members and relatives. Speaking at the launch on Thursday, Dean L. Arul Sundaresh Kumar said that Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Care Initiative (TAEI) centre was among the best performing centres in the State. In order to improve the centre, there was a plan to introduce the 'Grief Counselor' or a help desk and steps were being taken in this regard. When a patient is admitted to the emergency care centre, the doctors immediately start the treatment. The patient's attendants are briefed about the health condition of the patient. As time progresses, slowly more and more family members and relatives come and inquire about the status of the patients, and in some cases, when the patients are in a serious condition, constant updates are being provided to the family members, he said The doctor provides the details and also clarifies the doubts of the patients and their family members. Sometimes, the doctors are busy as they have to concentrate on the other patients. This is where the 'Grief Counselor' steps in and plays the role of providing the necessary details, he said. The GRH Dean said that the one-of-its-kind initiative was launched in association with the Arogya Welfare Trust that implements the social responsibility initiatives of the TVS Group, Madurai. It will pay the salary to the 'Grief Counselor.' A trial run was conducted and due to the good response to the initiative, it was launched officially, he added. TAEI Medical Officer Thanappan said that on a daily basis the GRH was receiving many emergency cases and trauma cases were referred from neighbouring districts, including critically ill patients. The family members and relatives of the patients come to the centre in a panic. To have a team to patiently listen to them and provide status of the patients was needed. It was similar to a 'May I Help You' centre. The doctors can also discharge their duties without needless distraction, he said.
The Hindu
22-04-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
New ward opened at GRH to treat heat-related illness
As heat wave was announced by both the Union and State governments as one of the deadliest effects of Climate Change, Tamil Nadu government in 2024 directed the Government Hospitals in all the districts to open an exclusive ward to treat patients affected by heat and its co-morbidities. As per the direction, Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai opened a heat wave ward in 2024 and following that, in this year too, to tackle the heat-related illness cases, owing to summer, a new ward with 10 beds has been opened to treat emergency cases. L. Arul Sundaresh Kumar, Dean, GRH, said that though not many cases related to heat were reported in the district, a cautionary ward with 10-beds would always be ready in the hospital. When the treatment for a normal healthy person affected by the soaring heat would just be hydrating, the issue was only elderly people, children and people with comorbidities like diabetes and thyroid, he added. Even when they hydrate by drinking water, they would require the necessary electrolytes to keep the body balanced, Dr. Arul Sundaresh Kumar added. When they get exposed to sun continuously, they might experience irritabilities like tiredness, dryness, rise in body temperature and soreness, he added. For such patients, treatment to lower their body temperature and to balance the fluids would be required. In such cases, IV fluid would be injected, he added. Another doctor said that the doctors at the hospital had been sensitised to the treatment and care that should be extended to patients who would be admitted for heat-related illnesses. 'Treatments pertaining to heat strokes would be managed on a daily basis and essentials for the treatment like ORS solutions, wet blankets and ice packs are kept ready,' the doctor added. 'We basically identify a patient who is affected by excessive heat by recording their body temperature. A sudden rise in body temperature would immediately react on the patient when he is already facing dehydration. The first step of treatment for such people would be to reduce the environmental temperature followed by bringing down their body temperature by administering either oral rehydration solution or IV fluids,' a doctor at a rural GH said. In rural areas, due to the work nature of the people, many could be affected by the heat and such people would be treated either at Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres and in extreme cases, they would be referred to the GRH, said the doctor. 'While minor issues like cramps and sweating induced by excessive heat could be treated at the same place, serious issues like heat cramps and fainting are all transferred to the GRH,' he added.
