25 years on, Ahmedgarh community health centre yet to have separate emergency room

A quarter century after the multi-storey building of the local community health centre was constructed, the Punjab Health Corporation System (PHCS) is yet to provide a separate room for accommodating patients arriving in the emergency ward.

Though the authorities had started construction of a proposed room annexed to the emergency wing over four years ago, it is yet to be completed and used as a ward for accommodating patients under treatment in the ward. Use of corridors for accommodating emergency patients, besides hindering their treatment, causes inconvenience to the staff, patients and their attendants.

While patients feel discomfort in open space, those using the pathway suffer due to obstruction and gloomy environment around the beds of patients under treatment. While according to medical ethics and protocol a patient needs a comfortable, calm and peaceful environment during treatment and convalescence period, but beds of patients are permanently placed in corridors in front of the emergency wing.

Though personnel in the administrative wing were not aware about any proposal for construction of a separate ward room for emergency patients, a former official of the healthcare centre asserted that the PHCS had started the construction of a room adjoining the emergency wing. Though apparently the room under construction is situated outside the main wing, there is a provision for its linking with the existing emergency wing. The room, which is almost nearing completion has become more of a nuisance.

Residents have urged the higher authorities in the state government to impress upon the authorities of the PHCS to resume construction without further delay.

Justifying the demand raised by residents, president, Municipal Council, Ahmedgarh, Vikas Krishan Sharma said he had taken up the issue with legislator Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra, who has given an assurance in this regard.

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