Derelict hospital poses threat to patients

HYDERABAD: Peeling plaster and doors that hang from their hinges greet the visitors at the Government Ayurveda Hospital at Charminar, where a minaret collapse led to the death of a woman recently. Another such incident had occurred at the adjacent Nizamia Tibbi College where a part of a dome had collapsed three months ago.The Ayurveda Hospital, which shares the premises with the Government Nizamia Tibbi College and General Hospital, has been active since 60 years and the structures housing the college and hospital were built in 1938 by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Since then, only minor repairs have been carried out and no structural changes have been undertaken since the building is a heritage monument.The 100-bed hospital has been awaiting a facelift for some time and part of the facilities were shifted to the newly constructed Dr. BRKR Government Ayurveda College, Erragadda. “We are searching for land close by and construction will take some time. Also, the space has to be big enough to accommodate the 100-bed hospital. The process will take time but the urgency of the matter has been conveyed to the  concerned authorities,” said Dr. KP Srivasuki, commissioner-in-charge, AYUSH, who visited the site of the accident yesterday.However, the authorities at the hospital do not want to move out of their current premises. “We had previously rejected a proposal to shift the Ayurveda Hospital to Dabeerpura as the area was unhygienic. Moving out of these premises will lead to a reduction in the number of patients coming in,” said Prof. T Hemaraj, superintendent of Ayurveda Hospital. Though renovation and restoration of the structure is in progress after a sum of Rs 3 crore was released, the out-patient department and the hospital wards call for a structural change. The roof leaks at many places, including the maternity and paediatrics ward and part of the roof in the bathroom of the general ward has caved in. The doors are in various states of disrepair and short-circuit is an accident-in-waiting. The weight of neglect hangs heavy in the premises.While treatment is sought at the facility, little can be said about physical safety of the patients who visit there.