This health centre hasn’t opened for 2 years
Officials evince no interest in reopening the 42-year-old well-equipped facility
A 42-year-old government hospital which catered to residents of at least four villages in the vicinity of the City, is now lies defunct. 
The state-run health facility under the name R L Jalappa Health Training Centre has remained closed for close to a year. The hospital, maintained by the district administration, was inaugurated by Y Ramakrishna, the then Health minister on June 13, 1970. Situated on the second main road of Gandhinagar, the hospital used to cater to medical needs of Gandhinagar, Chinnapura, Gaddekannur and Kutandahalli.
The facility was under the control of district administration till 2000 and later transferred to Jalappa Hospital. Even after that, it functioned well till March 2010. Medical students too used to attend on the patients. But the hospital stopped functioning after setting up of a city unit of Jalappa Hospital. Neither the district administration nor the Health and Family Welfare department has taken any steps to reopen the public health facility till now.
It is not that no facilities are available at the building. The pharmacy, observation room, doctors’ cabin, labour room and all the accoutrements of a hospital are well in tact in the building.
Local people have staged dharna twice in front of the office of the deputy commissioner demanding reopening of the hospital. Memorandums have been submitted to district health officer and district surgeon. But, none have responded. The health officials said they were not supposed to open new primary health centre, as per the direction from the medical officer.
The residents alleged that the building of the well-equipped hospital has collapsed. “The district hospital is being maintained with great difficulty. In such a situation, reopening the hospital is impossible,” said the district surgeon.
The residents, majority of whom are from the lower economic and social strata, are disappointed that they are denied a better healthcare.
Different voices
Closure of the government hospital has caused inconvenience to thousands of people. Though the hospital is well-equipped, the health department has evinced no interest in utilising the facility in the past two years.
Vijayakrishna, DYFI leader
We have submitted memoranda and staged protests, demanding reopening of the hospital, but to no avail. Now, we have pinned our hopes on the DC’ss promise that steps would be taken to reopen the hospital.
Manjunath, an auto driver
By closing the only hospital in the vicinity, the poor patients have been forced to go to far-off hospitals for treatment. It would be convineint if the government hospital is reopened, utilising the already available facilities.
Muniraju, a shopkeeper
Gandhinagar has been deprived of its only hospital now. The officials have not shown any interest in reopening it. When we demand, they ask us to get the hospital sanctioned by the government. We the poor are the sufferers.
H P Venkatesh, a resident
