COIMBATORE: Nearly three months ago, the Public Works Department (PWD) allegedly deemed the 75-year-old outpatient (OP) block of the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital (CMCH) structurally unsound in its assessment report, but the hospital administration is yet to relocate the OP departments functioning out of the block to safer locations within the premises.
The OP block of the institution witnesses a patient footfall of nearly 4,000 on a daily basis. The ageing building has shown signs of deterioration and is allegedly at risk of collapse, which has raised concerns among the doctors, hospital staff, and several patients, especially after a portion of the roof near the dermatology department collapsed around 10 days ago.
According to sources, the PWD, following an inspection three months ago, advised the hospital administration to relocate the OP departments as a precautionary measure. An official from the PWD also confirmed the submission of the assessment report regarding the structural stability of the block to the hospital administration.
However, officials from the hospital said that, barring a few, most of the 32 clinical departments are still functioning inside the building. A senior hospital staff member, on condition of anonymity, said, "The three-storey building has only a narrow staircase and ramp facilities.
But 90% of the outpatients visit the building daily for treatment. During peak hours, many feel inconvenienced when using the staircase. Also, the building lacks adequate ventilation and emergency exit passages to evacuate patients. So the departments should be relocated to safe places available in the other blocks."
M Manivannan, a patient who had witnessed the roof collapse, said, "Given the daily footfall at the hospital, we fear any unexpected structural failure could result in a major tragedy." He said that, after the roof collapsed, the dermatology OP department was immediately shifted out of the building.
"Other departments also face the same threat, but we do not know why the authorities have not yet taken the steps to shift them to a safer spot," he said, stressing that preventive action is necessary to safeguard the lives of people, especially with the monsoon season approaching.
CMCH Dean Dr M Geethanjali told TNIE that the hospital administration is in the process of shifting the OP departments from the building to a safer place; however, she did not respond to the question on why the process was being carried out at a snail's pace.
Plan on to build combined OP block
A senior official from the hospital told TNIE that the administration has planned to construct a new combined OP block after demolishing the existing one to accommodate all the outpatient services in the same building. The new block would be an eight-storey building, with exclusive floors for medical students, similar to that in the Madras Medical College. The existing building would be demolished to avoid accidents, added the official.