Nearly five days after rainwater flooded the in-patient block of Osmania General Hospital (OGH), exposing the patients and healthcare professionals to serious risk, doctors and staff there have decided to hold protest for an hour every day to demand a new building for the hospital.
The decision was taken at a meeting held by Telangana Government Doctors Association (TGDA) members at OGH Superintendent’s chambers on Monday.
Similar protests were held in 2018 by junior and senior doctors of the hospital over the same demand. However, assurances to construct a new building were not fulfilled. “We will hold the protest at 9.30 a.m. every day, without disturbing medical services, until the government responds,” said president of TGDA-OGH unit, K. Ram Singh.
Sources earlier said that proposals were put forth to demolish the in-patient block to make way for a new building. It was constructed in 1917 by the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The building is in dire need of repairs to avoid water leakage. In the past few years, incidents of chunks of lime mortar crashing to ground, or on patients have also been reported.
Alternate arrangements
Till Wednesday, patients from General Medicine department and Intermediate Care were admitted to the ground floor of the century-old block. Besides, three operation theatres (OT) were functioning on the first and second floors there.
After the flooding last Wednesday, the patients were shifted to fourth floor of Quli Qutb Shah block. However, the three OTs are still functioning from the old block. Doctors who perform surgeries said they might have to walk through rain water at the IP block if it rainspours again as water leaks through the roof there.
Besides, doctors said the the fourth floor of the Quli Qutb Shah block is far from ICUs and Acute Medical Care units in OP block. “If the condition of any patient turns serious, they will need emergency care. It takes time to rush them from the fourth floor to the OP block. Besides, lifts of Quli Qutb Shah block are functional only till third floor. The only way to rush them is on ramps. Alternate plans to accommodate the patients have to include this situation too,” said a doctor.