JOIN USA special ward block of 60 rooms was inaugurated by state health minister Dr A K Walia on Friday. It is the same block that was inaugurated in 2003 by chief minister Sheila Dixit but remained unused for most of the time since then.
The rooms, with attached kitchen and bathroom, will have a single occupant each. The nature of the rooms is semi-private.
Five rooms in the ward have been earmarked for employees of the hospital. These rooms will have two beds each for resident doctors, nurses, staff of group ‘C’ and ‘D’ groups and students of Maulana Azad Medical College.
“This is a goodwill gesture for those who serve in the hospital,” said Dr Richa Dewan, medical superintendent of the hospital. Of the rest, six are VIP rooms for members of Parliament, members of legislative Assembly, senior officers of Delhi government and the Centre, the faculty and their immediate family members.
This leaves 49 rooms to be used by the public. Consultation by doctors and services of nurses will be free for patients. However, they will have to pay for food, medicines and surgical items.
Nominal charge as room rent will be taken.
Services will be provided on an advance payment of Rs 6,000 at the time of admission. The money will be adjusted bi-weekly thereafter.
The block was inaugurated in 2003 as well. It was used when other wards were being repaired. It also functioned briefly during the Commonwealth Games in 2010. But apart from that, it only showed a big lock for the last nine years.
A senior faculty member said the ward remained unused for so long due to staff crunch and delay in financial
clearance.