OGH doctor injured after toilet plaster crumbles
The new block comprises out-patient department with speciality blocks
HERITAGE ACTIVISTS feel the earlier block must be refurbished and used, so that the culture and architecture of the city could be preserved. Some doctors too are clamouring for reopening of the heritage block.
Portions of cement plaster have fallen from the roof in the toilet of doctors in the new building of Osmania General Hospital on Wednesday. A doctor escaped with minor injuries as he ran when the plaster started falling in the toilet. Shortly thereafter, the entire toilet premises had cement pieces all around, with large portions of the roof giving way.
The new premises, called Quli Qutub Shah building, comprise the out-patient department with specialty blocks of cardiology department and other specialties. Right now, it is housing in-patients, who have been shifted from the
heritage block, which has been shut down following rains.
A senior doctor, on condition of anonymity, explained, “Soon after patients were shifted to Qutub Shah building from the heritage block,
patients had on July 22 complained of water leaking from the roof.”
OGH doctors now feel hospital authorities had closed the heritage block in a hurry, as Quli Qutub Shah building too is not in a condition to house inpatients.
Heritage activists feel the earlier block must be refurbished and used, so that the culture and architecture of the city could be preserved. Some postgraduate doctors too are clamouring for reopening of the heritage block. “Why have they closed the block? Where will poor patients go if blocks are shut and the number of beds goes down in government hospitals,” they ask.
Hospital authorities, however, maintain that patients coming from the city and districts for Covid and non-Covid treatment are being distributed evenly in different wards and there are still “sufficient empty beds” available.
OGH superintendent Dr B. Nagendra said, “The toilet block will be repaired. There is no need for doctors to worry. We are also ensuring that patient care is not affected at all. Water logging at the heritage block during rains was due to a drainage coming in from Begum Bazaar. I have again requested Health Minister Etela Rajendar to help us solve this problem on a priority basis,” the hospital superintendent stated.