JAMMU, FEBRUARY 27- Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today inspected the proposed site for construction of additional block to strengthen Gynaecology Ward and Labour Room in the SMGS Hospital and also discussed the DPR for the project.
Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Principal GMC, Dr. Sunanda Raina, Superintending Engineer, R&B, D.R.Bhagat, Joint Director Planning (H&ME), Madan Lal, HoD Gynae, Dr. Indu Koul, Medical Superintendent, SMGS, Dr. R.K. Sangra, Dy Medical Superintendent, Dr. Minakshi Kotwal were also present on the occasion.
The Minister discussed the proposed DPR with the concerned and asked for some alterations to add some more features in the design. He specifically directed the engineers to keep sufficient provision for a multi-story parking for at least 300 vehicles, provision of a modern lab, space to add 300-beds in Gynae ward and Labour Room by making judicious use of available land in the premises of SMGS Hospital. He also directed for exploring possibility to spare more land by demolishing the unused and unsafe structure in the Skin Department to create adequate accommodation for various departments functioning in the SMGS.
The Minister directed the engineers to submit the final design and DPR by incorporating the additional components within next few days for approval so that the same is forwarded to the Government of India for funding under PMDP.
While interacting with the media persons on the occasion, the Minister said that both GMC and SMGS hospitals are overcrowded with the patients during the past over some years and the need for creating more bedding capacity in both these institutions is badly felt. He said there is acute shortage of beds in the Labour Room and Gynae wards of SMGS, with the result two to three patients are sharing a bed. The patients as well as authorities are facing a lot of inconvenience on this account.
Similar is the situation in the emergency of GMC where hundreds of patients are admitted daily with accidents and serious ailments. There is also acute shortage of beds in the emergency and authorities and patients are facing lot of inconvenience. In view of these difficulties, it has been decided to construct a new block to add 300 more beds in the Gynae wards and Labour Room in SMGS to overcome the problem.
In GMC, the Chopra Nursing Home will be connected with the emergency block and the space will be utilized optimally for emergency services. The provision of at least 200 more beds will be created in the proposed infrastructure, said the Minister.
