Submit proposal to upgrade Wenlock hospital, Rai urges

District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai has said that a proposal to upgrade Wenlock Hospital to regional government hospital should be submitted to the government for approval. 

Speaking at the annual general body meeting of arogya raksha samithi on Monday, District Surgeon Dr R Rajeshwari Devi said that there was a proposal to construct a multi-speciality hospital with 200 beds under National Urban Health Mission(NUHM). However, it may take several years to complete. Hence, an alternative is needed to upgrade the Wenlock Hospital. 

Requirements

She said that as the operation theatre and OPD are in separate blocks, it is difficult to shift the patients. Hence there was a need to build a separate well-equipped medical ward with 100 beds. A separate building will be required for the blood bank in the hospital. 

Also, separate buildings for burns-ward with six beds, regional trauma care centre, 50-bed Ayush unit , mortuary with cold storage unit, nursing training institute, psychiatry and de-addiction centre, separate ward for destitutes, staff quarters and a pharmacy are included in the major requirements of the hospital, Dr Devi elaborated.

She said that there was a need for a jail ward with 10 beds equipped with MRD, ART, STD and ICTC clinic, as the existing jail ward is in deplorable condition. 

Works completed

District Surgeon said that the renovation work on the nursing students hostel has been completed. New machines have been installed in the X-ray unit. Staff has been appointed to  CT scan section. ACs have been installed in the ARPCC seminar hall at a cost of Rs 6.50 lakh.

The Minister directed the district surgeon to forward the proposal to the state government along with proposals  on renovation of the jail ward, which is in deplorable condition, recruitment of staff on contract basis etc. 

Problems

Leakage of roof is playing a spoilsport in the activities of operation theatre and trauma centre during rainy season. UGD facilities and water supply system in the hospital should be given priority, said Dr Rajeshwari Devi . 

There is acute shortage of D group staff and nursing staff in the hospital.  At present, there are 122 nursing staff to cater to the needs of 900 patients. Also, around 30 destitutes who have undergone treatment in the hospital have made the hospital as their ‘permanent house’. 

Even after they are discharged, they again end up in hospital as the beggars rehabilitation centre refuses to provide shelter to them. Ten patients have been living in the hospital for more than five years, she said. 

Lady Goschen Government Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Saroja said that records of Wenlock and Lady Goschen hospitals are maintained at Wenlock Hospital. Due to shortage of staff, the maintenance has become a Herculean task. An oral instruction was issued by the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Health and family welfare department during their last visit to hospital to maintain the records separately. However, the government has not sent any written order on the same, she added. 

No change of names

The meeting decided to retain the original names of Wenlock hospital and Lady Goschen hospital, without changing it to Kudmul Ranga Rao district Wenlock Hospital and Veerarani Abbakka Lady Goschen Hospital. A proposal was moved during the last annual general body meeting, regarding the change of the names.