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Northern CM urges Tamil girls to take to nursing
Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran called upon Tamil girls to get over the issue of taking up nursing because of the social stigma attached to the profession and praised the initiative of the Oxonian Heart Foundation together with the Northern Central Hospital to begin cardiac surgery in the North.
Speaking as a one-time heart patient himself, Justice Wigneswaran referred to the cost and inconvenience involved for patients recuperating outside after surgery in towns far away from their homes and called for the raising of adequate funds to provide cardiac surgery in the North, East and elsewhere, especially for the destitute through the initiative.He was speaking at the launch of a campaign on the introduction of Heart Surgery to the North and North Central Provinces and to raise awareness and funding for Cardiac Surgery at the Northern Central Hospital, Jaffna. The event was held at the Conference Hall, Jaffna Public Library last Sunday (April 13) on the eve of the National New Year.
At the Phoenix-Ogilvy organised Public awareness and fundraiser launch of the Oxonian Heart Foundation’s cardiac care project, Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, who has undergone heart surgery himself, is assisted by a nurse at the Northern Central Hospital in Jaffna to listen to his heart beat with a campaign message via the aid of a stethescope . Pic courtesy Thinakkural
Mr. Wigneswaran, a former Supreme Court Justice, said: “It is indeed a significant event today. The Oxonian Heart Foundation has entered into a partnership with the Northern Central Hospital in Jaffna to set up a Cardiac Surgery Unit here. This gathering is tasked with the function of raising awareness and funding for the performance of Cardiac Surgery here in the North.
“I speak with the experience of a patient who had undergone Cardiac Surgery over a dozen years ago at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai. I had witnessed the great strides made in India particularly at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai in the field of Cardiac Surgery with the input coming from doctors trained in the US. A young doctor who had recently returned from the US performed my surgery. I remember my brother-in-law who himself was trained as a doctor in the British tradition examining the CD portraying my heart surgery and describing it as near perfect. No wonder I am still batting on!
“Patients needing Cardiac Surgery have to travel to Colombo and Kandy, face difficulties of language, extra costs and implications with regard to recovery after major surgery. In fact, I had to stay over in Chennai for a period of time having been released from the hospital to be seen at the Apollo to check on my process. Such staying over for someone from the North not having a relative or friend in Colombo or Kandy can be extra costly.
“It is estimated that around 700 patients require open heart surgery per year from the Northern Province. All cannot be accommodated at the Government Hospitals. Hence the need for Private hospitals for those who can afford.
“Dr. Ravi Perumalpillai has played a leading role in seeking the involvement of the Oxonian Heart Foundation in the current venture to provide facilities at the Northern Central Hospital, Jaffna. We are told the following facilities for cardiac surgery are to be made available: A dedicated operating theatre, an intensive care facility with a four-bed intensive and high dependency area, a ten-bed ward for pre- and post-operative patients and basic surgical needs.
“Needless to say, the availability of non-medical personnel for cardiac surgery programmes is an essential necessity.
“As a patient who underwent heart surgery, let me relate some anecdotes which might be useful to you in planning your service.
“At the time I was diagnosed in Colombo that I needed heart surgery I had to go to a private hospital in Colombo. The nurse had to take a sample of blood. She looked quite senior but effused no job satisfaction on her face! Anyway when she took blood from the centre of my right arm it was quite painful. I winced. The nurse was furious. She shouted at me. For all her screaming I have had blood taken several times earlier but it had not pained me so. The nurse was clearly not professional. But I kept my cool. I was then a Court of Appeal Judge.
“Anyway that was over. I moved over to Apollo. The Kerala Nurse, young and beautiful, comes and taps at my door. I say ‘come in’. She speaks very good English. ‘Good Morning sir! How are you today? I have to take a little blood Sir. You can rest assured that it will not pain you Sir!’ So saying she takes the blood sample. I did not feel even a scratch. It was so smooth and easy. She again said number of things like ‘Sir! You will be alright soon. Don’t worry. Everything will be back to normal in few weeks. Sir, so many have undergone these operations. They are all quite well and healthy. You too will be so,’ etc etc.
“I was truly impressed. This is nursing at its best, I thought! I say thus with a purpose. I am told many of our Tamil girls have still not compromised with the question “to be or not to be a nurse!”– a stigma seems to be attached to the nursing profession among our Tamil girls! Hence finding proper nurses could be a problem. It is the nurse who is with the patient more often than the others. They must be extraordinarily professional and humane.
“The Fund for treating the destitute is quite interesting. For every five fully paying patients the trustees and directors of the Northern Central Hospital have promised to perform one procedure free of charge.
“The provision of adequate funding for treating and training is important to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Cardiac Surgical Service. Let us hope adequate funds could be raised and the undertaking would bring solace to the life of cardiac patients in the North, East and elsewhere.”
(Details of the Project are available on www.oxonianhf.com)