JOIN USNo water in GTB, surgeries delayed
Surgeries in GTB hospital in east Delhi were affected on Thursday as water shortage touched its peak in a month. In addition to short supply from the Delhi Jal Board, the borewells in the hospital also did not work.
Dental services in the outpatient department (OPD) have not been available for many days.
The hospital has 14 operation theatres, none of which worked till 2 pm. After that, the hospital called for eight water tankers and some of the OTs worked till 4 pm. A week ago too, the surgeries were disrupted for two days.
“It was raining heavily outside, but there was no water to perform surgeries. There is already a long queue of patients,” a staffer said.
GTB hospital has been facing acute water crisis for nearly a month now. In June, there was no water for 15 days, except for surgery.
Even staff members and doctors had to arrange drinking water on their own. When employees approached the administration, the crisis was resolved, only to be back within two days.
It has been three days without adequate water supply. The four borewells, which supply water in addition to the government supply, have not been working to their potential.
“The surgery side usually receives water. Rest of the campus has been facing the crisis for much longer. Dental services have not been working for at least three days because dentists need water after checking mouth of every patient,” said a hospital staff member.
Patients said other OPD services too were badly affected.
“I came to get my leg plastered. But they have sent to me to another nearby hospital,” a patient said.
Family members of pateints admitted in wards face a harrowing time. They have to buy mineral water all the time.
“There was hardly any trouble after we arranged tankers today. We are making two more borewells operational with facility of reverse osmosis (RO)," said Dr Rajpal, medical superintendent of the hospital.
The hospital does not provide filtered water to the patients. No water cooler has any filtration facility.