Chandigarh: GMCH trauma centre misses another deadline, now wait till March ’25
The new emergency building, which was initially targeted for completion by December 31, has faced delays but is now expected to be ready by March 31
The much-delayed emergency-cum-trauma centre at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, which was slated for completion by the end of this year, is now expected to be ready by March 31, 2025. Green-lit in 2019, the 259-bedded centre has run into one hurdle after the other.
As per the GMCH-32 administration, the construction of the building is nearing completion. Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Monday paid a surprise visit to the GMCH-32.
The new emergency building, which was initially targeted for completion by December 31, has faced delays but is now expected to be ready by March 31. Kataria instructed engineering wing officials concerned to ensure that emergency services in the new facility commence by April 2025 without fail.
According to a senior official, it was ensured by the engineering department personnel that they will do their best to complete the project on time.
The plan outlined the completion of the 259-bedded emergency and trauma block within 18 months post the allocation of work, with the deadline being set for February 2022, but the work is still incomplete.
Back in 2019, the UT administration had given the go-ahead for the construction of the centre, with an expected expenditure of ₹52.77 lakh.
The facility assumes significance as the only operational trauma centre catering to patients and victims of natural/man-made disasters, road accidents and other major immediate medical needs is at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).
The GMCH-32 attends to patients not only from Chandigarh but also from neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh as well. The current emergency block, equipped with 45 beds, witnesses a daily influx exceeding 400 patients.
Amid the heavy rush, patients are examined on stretchers and trolleys. Block A is slated to host the forthcoming emergency-cum-trauma centre, supplanting the existing emergency facility, which is set for demolition.
Simultaneously, the Block K section of the hospital is earmarked for the establishment of a new mother and childcare centre.
The emergency block is designed to incorporate clinical laboratories, along with X-ray, CT scan and MRI facilities. Besides, it will house a pharmacy, two emergency operating theatres, a minor operating theatre, post-operative wards, an isolation ward, and parking in the twin basements accommodating 59 four-wheelers and 144 two-wheelers. The block is also set to include provisions for central air-conditioning, firefighting and fire sensing systems.
A cutting-edge intensive care unit (ICU) with 24 beds, a 64-bedded ward for stable patients, two isolation wards comprising 33 beds and a 47-bed ambulatory care ward are part of the upcoming plans.