Andhra Pradesh: 3 depts shift to old GGH on hold due to doctor opposition

Vijaywada: The decision to hold back the shift of Departments of Pulmonary Medicine, Ophthalmology and ENT departments from the new Government General Hospital (GGH) to the old one has been taken due to the opposition from Department HODs and Doctors. The new GGH also lacks space as per requirement.

The pulmonary medicine department in the old hospital had a weakened infra structure and doctors faced a difficult time attending to patients therein. Patient admissions were stopped in September 2016 Due to the ceiling having fallen. However, the department in the same month saw a shift to the new GGH and has ever since been accommodated in the ENT rooms.

Though the departments had been shifted to the new hospital, the officials were always keen to shiftback to the old GGH due to space availability.

A recent hospital administrative committee meeting, decided to to shift the ENT, Ophthalmology and Pulmonary medicine wings back to the old hospital. the officials also considered a shift to Rajeev Nagar hospital. However, staff opposition to the committee’s decision finally kept them from shifting them to the old hospital.

According to Medical Council of India (MCI),norms, the pulmonary department should have 30 or 40 beds. Lack of space sees a mere 20 in 2 rooms at the new GGH.

Similarly, the ENT and Ophthalmology departments also lack required space in the new GGH.

In-charge Superintendent Dr G Chakradhar Rao told TNIE, “Though we planned to shift the departments, we have changed our decision now. There is shortage of space in the new GGH even to expand the services or to run as it is. The patient flow has increased over a period and we are looking for alternatives to accommodate them.”