These 3 complexes turn out to be white elephant for Rajindra hospital
The multistory building of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital (GMC-RH), constructed at the cost of around ₹245 crore, is proving to be the white elephant for the hospital authorities as the institutional building at Government Medical College, super specialty complex and mother-child complex at Rajindra hospital are all lying non-functional.
These multistory building is supposed to house major departments of the hospital. However, technical faults in the building and its layout plan, absence of furniture and lack of super specialty machinery and other necessary equipment are key reasons behind the building being defunct.
A visit to the three complexes revealed that only the ground floor of the eight-story mother-child complex and six-stories of the super specialty block are operational. The administration of GMC is yet to take possession of the five-story institutional building.
‘NO ATTACHED WASHROOMS’
The eight-story building of mother and child complex was completed in 2017 at the cost of around ₹60 crore. The building was supposed to house neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of the paediatrics department. Presently, these units are functioning at the old building of the hospital. These units are struggling with lack of proper facilities, equipment and other critical instruments.
According to the health department, the new mother and child complex was constructed with an aim of having all necessary equipments and facilities under one roof. However, around three years have passed and the administration is yet to shift the paediatrics and gynaecology departments to the complex.
An official of the GMC-RH, pleading anonymity, said, “Doctors are not satisfied with the layout of the building. They are complaining about the infrastructure and theirs cabins’ design. They are upset over the fact that there is no attached washroom in their offices. Moreover, the building does not have any connectivity and facility for oxygen supply which is necessary for newborn babies.”
‘FAULTS IN BUILDING STRUCTURE’
The five-story institutional building at Government Medical College was completed two years back at the cost of around ₹35 crore. However, the college authorities are yet to take possession of the building. The students are expected to study here as there are better lab facilities. However, the professors and students have complained about faults in the building structure.
An official said, “The authorities have increased seats in MBBS courses from 150 to 200. However, despite rise in seats, students are still studying at the old congested lecture theatre. The new institution building does not have any facility of air-conditioning. There is need of centralised AC facility in the building. Apart from this, the administration has failed to buy furniture for the new building.”
‘NO DOCS, NO SERVICE’
The super specialty centre was inaugurated on November 5 last year by state medical education minister OP Soni and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur. Around ₹150 crore was spent on the centre. However, only the ground floor of the building is being used so far. The other five floor are not in use due to cardiology, nephrology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and neurology departments being non-functional.
Super specialist doctors were supposed to join the said departments at the centre, but they failed to do so. In the absence of these super specialists, only urology, neurosurgery and cardiothoracic departments have started work.
Dr Harjinder Singh, principal of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, said, “Work of providing oxygen supply at the mother and child complex is underway. Also, we are buying furniture for the institutional building and are trying to overcome the shortcomings of both these building. They will be functional in the next few months.”
“All departments of super specialty centre will also be made functional as soon as super specialist doctors are hired and required equipment are installation,” he added.