Battered hospital building cries for repairs

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 9

The building of Ram Lal Eye and ENT Hospital, associated with Government Medical College, is in a dilapidated condition and needs immediate attention. Its washrooms have been the worst maintained. Even as a number of the sanitary fittings were seen broken, most of the others were found missing.

The wild growth surrounding the hospital is another big problem for the patients. “The wild growth gives a look as if the building is abandoned. The grass should be cut regularly as health institutions must be free of rodents,” said a visitor.

Visitors said bad washrooms, scattered garbage and wild growth reflected badly on the reputation of the institution, which, it is said, has one of the best eye transplantation centres in the state.

They said though medical services at the hospital were much better than other government hospitals, the authorities must concentrate on improving the services for the patients and their attendants. The corridor of a portion of the building was seen with rubble scattered all around. Visitors said the government must take immediate steps to start repairs of the building. The broken doors and shattered window panes narrate the story of apathy of the authorities towards the hospital building.

They said more infrastructure in the form of rooms for patients and offices for the doctors should be created at the hospital.

The hospital, apart from catering to the needs of ENT and particularly eye problems of the general public, also acts as a training institute for the students of Ophthalmology and ENT Departments of Government Medical College.

Associate Professor Dr Karanjit Singh, “The hospital was earlier entangled in a legal battle with a few persons over the ownership issue. The court has recently settled the matter in favour of the hospital and now, the renovation process will start.”

He said due to the ongoing legal dispute, the college was not able to start any developmental work.