Gauhati Medical College & Hospital sees quantum increase in patients in last 5 yrs

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) – one of the biggest government hospitals of Assam – has seen a drastic increase in the number of patients treated over the last five years. 
 
This was revealed in a reply to an RTI (Right to Information) request filed by G Plus. According to the data obtained by state health & family welfare department, the hospital treated 7.01 lakh patients during 2012-13 including the outpatient department (OPD) and inpatient department (IPD) patients treated by the hospital.

GMCH is one of the premier government hospitals in the state with people from different districts coming here for treatment.  
    
The number of patients treated by the hospital increased by more than 1.5 lakhs in five years with 8.54 lakh people approaching the hospital for treatment of various illnesses in 2017-18 till September 2018. 

The overall number of patients treated by GMCH saw a dip in two years namely 2014-15 and 2015-16. However, apart from this, the number of patients approaching the hospital for treatment saw an almost consistent increase between 2013 and 2018. 

More women hospitalised than men

The data also revealed an interesting trend and showed that more women were hospitalised as compared to men almost every year in the last five years in GMCH. 

This is contrary to the rest of the country, where fewer women are usually hospitalised for illnesses as compared to men in most cases. However, experts have pointed out that this could be due to the fact that the hospital offers free gynaecology services under various schemes. 

“One of the reasons for the increased number of women being hospitalised as compared to men could be because of the fact that many come to GMCH for delivery and other gynae services which are offered for free,” informed Dr Tanma Saikia Das, a city-based gynaecologist.
  
She added that since the periphery health services are not up to the mark, and in GMCH a caesarean is available 24X7, a lot of women use the 108 ambulance and come to GMCH, without even being referred.    
       
Further, throwing light on another possibility for high number of females being hospitalised Dr Tanma said, “Since women in Assam are more liberated and at par with men as compared to other parts of the country that could be another reason, but we need evidence to speak on this.” 

The number of patients treated by the hospital increased by more than 1.5 lakhs in five years with 8.54 lakh people approaching the hospital for treatment of various illnesses in 2017-18 till September 2018.

Total patients treated by GMCH in the last five years: