Column ACs installed at PGI’s Advanced Paediatric Centre

Charu Chhibber

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 30

Following a report carried in these columns regarding inconvenience to patients owing to a breakdown of the central air-conditioning plant at the Advanced Paediatric Centre (APC) of the PGI, column air conditioners have been installed in essential areas by the Engineering Department of the institute. This is for the first time that column air conditioners have been installed in a hospital setting of this kind.

The department has also started work on a new central AC plant, which is being built at an approximate cost of Rs 24 crore. Giving details, PS Saini, Superintending Hospital Engineer, PGI, confirmed that a new central AC plant was being constructed.

“The plant was old. It needed to be revamped. We are working on the project,” he said. Saini said the project could take six months for completion. “We are toiling hard to ensure no patient has to suffer because of the breakdown. Column air conditioners have been provided in essential areas of the APC for now to ensure smooth functioning,” Saini said. Chandigarh Tribune had highlighted how patients were facing inconvenience to the breakdown of the central AC plant.

Over 12 surgeries and 350 patients were being affected everyday because of the breakdown of the air-conditioning plant.

The services in the APC had been severely hit over the past one week as the air conditioners in the entire building were not working.

However, the Head of Paediatric Surgery, Dr KLN Rao, had categorically denied that that any surgeries had been affected due to the breakdown of the AC plant.