Race to Shift Osmania General Hospital Patients
HYDERABAD: Telangana government is working on a war-footing to shift patients of the In-Patient Block from Osmania General Hospital (OGH) to other premises. The block is nearly a century old, and a declared heritage structure.
What might dismay heritage conservationists, is that there is no turning back on the proposal to demolish the heritage structure, and construct new towers in its place. The government is also considering an option to use a new building at Niloufer hospital to move some of the departments from IP Block. It has about 450-beds. However, the building was constructed using funds of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), and due consent has to be taken to use the premises.
Sources said that chances are good for government of India to give the permission if a proposal is sent by the State.
On Thursday, Chief Minister KCR announced that the OGH’s IP block will be shifted from present premises. He expressed concern over dilapidated condition of the building and said it could collapse anytime, resulting in major tragedy.
Health minister C Laxma Reddy continued his visit to government area hospitals in the city, as part of the effort to shift the IP-Block patients. A total of six departments are functioning in the block.
Some doctors of OGH said that at least four of the departments should work under one roof so that patients will not be put to inconvenience. “A patient would need support of General Medicine and Gaestroenterology department. If the departments are located in two hospitals, commute between them will become a problem for patients.”
Minister Laxma Reddy, who visited various hospitals, said, “We studied the facilities at the hospitals. And we will discuss where the departments have to be shifted in coming days. We will also hold talks with officials of National Rural Health Mission to use the building at Niloufer,” Reddy said.