Lok Nayak is one of the biggest Delhi government hospitalsThe seven-floor orthopaedic block at Lok Nayak Hospital — one of the biggest Delhi government hospitals — has been lying unused for several years. Located on the hospital campus, the block is currently functioning without an ICU and operation theatre, while basic services like OPD and indoor ward facility are available for patients. Initially designed to house 400 beds, it has just 150.
Officials hope to change that soon, though. “A detailed plan about revamping the existing building has been sent to the government for approval. The existing building will be turned into a super-speciality block, which will also offer trauma services to patients,” said Lok Nayak medical director Dr Kishore Singh.
Initial approval for construction of the building was given by the L-G in 1997. Subsequently, it was converted into a hi-tech project and expenditure sanction was increased to Rs 34.40 crore in November 1999. This was further increased to Rs 45.88 crore in February 2008.
According to officials, the issue of the block remaining non-functional after construction was raised in several audit reports.
A 2010 CAG report had said an extra amount of Rs 5.42 crore was spent on completing construction. “The Department of Health could not maintain pace of work… and the building was not handed over till December 2010, resulting in denial of healthcare facilities to patients. The hospital building was scheduled to be completed in July 2002, but could be completed only in December 2010,” the report stated.
Another CAG report in 2013 pulled up the hospital for various inconsistencies during construction of the block: “After funds amounting to Rs 20.66 crore were originally procured for construction of the orthopaedic block, as well as the procurement of medical equipment for the hospital, the funds as well as their relevant usage still remains a mysterious matter.”
A senior doctor at the hospital said, “Redeveloping the block will require spending more money. There have been proposals to convert it into an administrative block, but they were later changed…”
According to doctors, the block sees 300 patients in its OPD on a daily basis and performs eight-nine surgeries in a day. In the absence of an OT, however, they are forced to perform surgeries in other departments. “We coordinate with other departments for using the OTs to perform emergency surgeries,” said a doctor.
