<p>Over 15 days have passed since the operation theatre at Guru Nanak Hospital was shut down after an infection scare. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The hospital authorities, however, have still not managed to open the OT for the public. The OT was shut down after at least six patients contracted eye infections were being operated, confirmed a hospital staff.<br /><br />This is the second time in three months that the hospital has been forced to shut down the OT. Samples taken from the air and surface level had confirmed bacterial contamination.<br /><br />The hospital services have been severely hit as a huge backlog of patients have been created in a fortnight. While 40-50 surgeries are performed on a daily basis during other seasons, at least 25 surgeries are performed daily during the summer. <br /><br />All operations have been deferred till the OT becomes functional, which might take up to another two weeks now.<br /><br />“Initially we were told that the OT would be functional by the first week of July. The date shifted to July 15. But now it might take up to another two weeks,” said a top official in the hospital. <br /><br />A team from Maulana Azad Medical College have inspected the site and a complete overhaul of the operation theatre has been planned by the authorities.<br /><br />But slow work process was identified as the main reason why the operation theatre is still not ready for the patients.<br /><br />“The authorities are planning to change equipment at the site to prevent further such incidents in future. But the pace at which work is being carried out is extremely slow. There is no supervision by the hospital staff,” said the official.<br /><br />“Also, so far no action has been taken against the concerned authorities for the lack of maintenance of the OT,” the official added. <br /><br />With the eye centre receiving a major chunk of patients who avail the service of operation, over 600 cases have been turned away so far.<br /><br />‘Calls from patients’<br /><br />“We are constantly getting calls from patients who were told to contact the hospital after July 5 for fresh dates of operation. Most of them cannot afford treatment in private hospitals and need to be operated on immediately. They are all complaining of the extreme inconvenience caused,” said a staff in the enquiry department.<br /><br />The Director of the hospital Dr B Ghosh had earlier told Deccan Herald that the services would resume by July 5. He did not respond to several calls made on his cellphone on Friday. </p>
<p>Over 15 days have passed since the operation theatre at Guru Nanak Hospital was shut down after an infection scare. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The hospital authorities, however, have still not managed to open the OT for the public. The OT was shut down after at least six patients contracted eye infections were being operated, confirmed a hospital staff.<br /><br />This is the second time in three months that the hospital has been forced to shut down the OT. Samples taken from the air and surface level had confirmed bacterial contamination.<br /><br />The hospital services have been severely hit as a huge backlog of patients have been created in a fortnight. While 40-50 surgeries are performed on a daily basis during other seasons, at least 25 surgeries are performed daily during the summer. <br /><br />All operations have been deferred till the OT becomes functional, which might take up to another two weeks now.<br /><br />“Initially we were told that the OT would be functional by the first week of July. The date shifted to July 15. But now it might take up to another two weeks,” said a top official in the hospital. <br /><br />A team from Maulana Azad Medical College have inspected the site and a complete overhaul of the operation theatre has been planned by the authorities.<br /><br />But slow work process was identified as the main reason why the operation theatre is still not ready for the patients.<br /><br />“The authorities are planning to change equipment at the site to prevent further such incidents in future. But the pace at which work is being carried out is extremely slow. There is no supervision by the hospital staff,” said the official.<br /><br />“Also, so far no action has been taken against the concerned authorities for the lack of maintenance of the OT,” the official added. <br /><br />With the eye centre receiving a major chunk of patients who avail the service of operation, over 600 cases have been turned away so far.<br /><br />‘Calls from patients’<br /><br />“We are constantly getting calls from patients who were told to contact the hospital after July 5 for fresh dates of operation. Most of them cannot afford treatment in private hospitals and need to be operated on immediately. They are all complaining of the extreme inconvenience caused,” said a staff in the enquiry department.<br /><br />The Director of the hospital Dr B Ghosh had earlier told Deccan Herald that the services would resume by July 5. He did not respond to several calls made on his cellphone on Friday. </p>
