AC failure: GNDH patients suffer

Charanjit Singh Teja

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 6

Contrary to the claims of the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (GNDH) authorities that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure the comfort of patients visiting Bebe Nanki Mother and Child Health Care Hospital, the patients and especially the children are at the receiving end. A visit to the hospital revealed that there is high temperature and the level of humidity is very high due to the closed building from all sides with no ventilation system except the air conditioner plant, which is not working properly for the past many days.

Medical staff in the Bebe Nanki Mother and Child Health Care Hospital stated that the hospital authorities failed to get repaired the AC plant before the start of the summer season. Now the AC plant is not running properly and often trips.

Due to the non-functioning AC, the patents who have children and their attendants have been facing inconvenience. The attendants in the wards were witnessed using hand fans in the centrally equipped AC building.

“The authorities run the AC only for two-three hours in a day. The situation is worst at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the OPD. The patients’ attendants and medical staff at children’s ward and gynaecology ward also have to suffer due to the defunct AC plant.

“We have been complaining to the visiting doctors and the staff of the hospital that the AC is not running. The building is closed and one cannot open a window for ventilation. We use the hand fans to beat the heat. The government claims to provide the facilities, but people get noting at the ground level”, said a woman attendant at the children’s ward.

Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent Ram Swaroop Sharma refuted the allegations and claimed that break in working for some hours was a requirement of the AC plant. “We need to give a break to the AC plant for some hours. When the temperature rises, the AC wants more and long breaks. Fans are available in all wards and all are functional”.