TIRUPATI: Chittoor Police have shown their philanthropic side by transforming the rundown Chittoor Government General Hospital into a pleasant place for patients. After their efforts, the building has acquired the appearance of a corporate hospital with a fresh coat of paint, granite pathways and saplings in open areas.
As part of the police department’s initiative to improve hygiene, the hospital got new bed sheets, blankets and bacteria-infected mattresses were replaced. To improve ventilation in the wards, rickety doors and windows were repaired and mosquito meshes were installed. Most importantly, the burns ward got a much-needed air-conditioning facility.
Apart from spending money from their pockets, the police officers contributed man-hours for construction.
The total cost of the charitable activity roughly worked out to `50 lakh. While police officers showed the way in improving the facilities in the hospital, some philanthropic-minded people also donated to the cause both in kind and cash.
Not stopping at leading the way, the police department has set up a Charity Wall on the hospital premises so that kind-hearted people can leave medicines and surgical items as well as things of daily use like clothes, footwear, eatables, etc., to help the poor patients. The Charity Wall, the police believe, will promote the habit of giving among the people. “It is intended to encourage visitors to the hospital to donate generously,” said district SP SV Rajasekhar Babu who relentlessly worked for 50 days for the success of this humanitarian project.
While the entire initiative was implemented under the broader guidance of Rajasekhar Babu, DSP Subbarao coordinated with the circle inspectors in ensuring smooth progress of the programme.
The SP has appealed to public to leave their donations at the Charity Wall. He also urged people to keep the police informed of availability of any leftover food at marriage and other functions so that it can be distributed among patients and their attendants.
“Since the Charity Wall came, several police officers have chosen this as venue for celebration of events like birthdays, cradle ceremonies, etc., so that some food can be served to the patients and their relatives at the hospital,” the SP said.
The police department has deployed some personnel at hospital to ensure that the food given by public is properly distributed among the patients.
Rajasekhar Babu said they commenced the work in September and completed it within two months. “Now the management of the hospital has been handed over to Apollo Hospitals by the government. However, our home guards will continue to keep guard at the Charity Wall’’ the SP said.