200-bed mother, child care centre coming up, claims GMCH Director

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16

Even as a six-member committee found construction of a mother and child care centre at Block K of the GMCH-32 not feasible, Director Dr BS Chavan claims they are going ahead with it.

Dr Chavan told Chandigrah Tribune that they held a meeting with the UT Adviser recently where it was decided to build a 200-bedded hospital in Block K. Soon, a detailed drawing of the facility would be out, he added.

In their report dated December 13 last year, a copy of which is with Chandigarh Tribune, the committee members, comprising doctors, the Chief Architect and executive engineers, had stated, “It is not feasible to construct a mother and child care centre in the area previously earmarked for Block K at the GMCH.”

They observed, “The area has been partially utilised to install radiotherapy equipment. The remaining area has been utilised to lay underground pipes for water supply, sewerage, air conditioning and electricity cables. To raise any building in this area, these pipes have to be shifted to some other place, which means shutting down Block E.”

“Even if it is done, the area available would be inadequate to construct a building which can house the entire infrastructure required for establishing a mother and child care centre,” the report added.

A senior faculty member at the hospital, on the condition of anonymity, said, “They do not seem serious on the matter while women are forced to deliver in inhumane conditions. Even as so many years have passed, neither the new centre has came up nor has the doctor count been increased.”

Earlier, it was reported in these columns that a bed at the gynaecology ward of the hospital is usually shared by three pregnant women. Post-delivery, many of them are shifted to stretchers. The past five years have seen over 250 per cent bed occupancy at the ward.