JOIN USDr Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan lacks warmers, heaters for newborns
As Delhi suffered a severe winter, Dr Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan in east Delhi failed to provide the warmth needed by children born there.
The baby-warmers in neo-natal unit of the hospital, where the newborns in need of medical help are kept, have been giving trouble for more than a month now.
Out of 10 warmers, three are not functioning. Many more did not work till 10 days ago, but have been temporarily repaired.
"The baby-warmers are not functioning and many parents have taken their newborns to other hospitals," said a nurse at the hospital.
What is worse is that due to financial delays, it will take long to get the warmers fully repaired.
"The tender period for the present Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) and Comprehensive Maintenance Contract (CMC) got over one month ago. The new tender is not finalised due to some financial objections," said Dr Rajesh Kalra, medical superintendent of the hospital.
He added that the tender is in final stages and will be passed soon.
"We are mending the warmers under ‘petty repair’. Some have been repaired, while others will be repaired soon," added Dr Kalra.
Doctors find the financial delays shocking considering that the hospital administration is not demanding any new procurement, but only repair of the current warmers.
In order to fix the warmers, tubelights and sensors need to be replaced, none of which are costly equipment.
Patients in need of warmers were referred to nearby Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya (CNBC) and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
CNBC, with 20 warmers in its neo-natal unit and five in Emergency took the maximum numbers in.
"This is usually not the period when the number of deliveries is high. But if there is a week when the number goes up, then there might be a crisis," said a senior doctor.