Inn not operational at Tanda medical college, attendants of patients suffer

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, July 29

The attendants of patients at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra district have to face a lot of hardships because of the lack of lodging facilities. One of the biggest health institutions in the state, the college caters to the medical needs of patients from six districts.

The state government has failed to operationalise the inn being constructed for the patients’ attendants. Former CM Virbhadra Singh had laid its foundation stone in April 2016, but its construction was yet to be completed.

Keeping in view the problems being faced by patients and their attendants, former MPs Shanta Kumar and Viplove Thakur took an initiative and contributed Rs 25 lakh each from the MPLAD fund for the construction of the inn.

Later, on the request of the college management, Shanta Kumar got Rs 2 crore sanctioned from Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited under the corporate social responsibility scheme.

However, patients continue to suffer as no headway has been made in the completion of the inn over the past seven years. Two floors of the inn are complete and can be made operational.

It is estimated that over 1,000 patients visit various departments of the medical college every day. Almost all medical emergencies from the government hospitals of Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur, Palampur, Baijnath, Dharamsala, Nurpur and Una are referred to the Tanda medical college. At present, there is no accommodation available on the college premises for the attendants, except a few guest houses.

Most of the patients coming to the medical college for treatment are poor. Their attendants are unable to afford stay in hotels or guest houses. Due to lack of affordable accommodation in the vicinity, hundreds of attendants have to stay in the corridors or the lawn of the medical institution.

Information revealed that half of the inn building had been completed. Principal of the medical college had written to the Principal Secretary (Health) Sudha Devi for handing over the inn to the Red Cross Society three months ago as the college did not have the infrastructure to run it. However, the Principal Secretary, Health, is yet to take a decision on the issue.

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