HYDERABAD, March 19: Two schemes of the civil hospital, Hyderabad, announced in 1987 and 1992, had not been completed to date due to lethargy of the Sindh construction and works department.
Hospital sources told this correspondent that although 100 per cent funds earmarked for the underground water reservoir and a bed-elevator in the urology ward had been released to the department, the work had not been done.
Keeping in mind the increasing requirement of water due to creation of several new units, the underground reservoir was approved at a cost of Rs10.389 million as a part of the annual development programme 1987-88.
Sources said funds had been released in early 1990s and the building department had been repeatedly approached by the hospital management for immediate execution of schemes but it failed to get any positive response.
Sources said the medical superintendent of the hospital recently sent a communication regarding these schemes to the Sindh health secretary, requesting him to take up the matter with the C&W department.
In the last couple of weeks the hospital had been badly hit by the water shortage because of the disconnection of electricity connections to the Wasa. Not only this but whenever there was a power breakdown at water works of the Wasa the water supply remained suspended to different parts of the city, including the civil hospital.
Ultimately the hospital has to arrange water tankers from the City Taluka municipal administration for availability of water. The patients suffered the most after there was no water available in the hospital, particularly in case of major surgeries, operation and gynaecology-related problems.
The building department was approached time and again to execute the scheme but in vain. Sources said existing water tanks in the hospital could not cater to the needs of the hospital that was why big underground tanks were required so that water could be stored and accordingly provided to different wards.
The scheme of elevator in the urology ward was approved in 1991-92 under the ADP at a cost of Rs3.9 million for the convenience of patients. The ward of the coronary care unity (CCU) and the urology ward are located in the same building. Given the nature of cardiac problem the patients needed extra care in moving from the CCU building to the ward.
Sources pointed out that since the elevator was not working they have to go upstairs through the stairs thus exposing them to risk. The control of the elevator has not been taken over by the hospital management after a committee constituted in October 2000 had noted some fault. The observations of the committee were communicated to the executive engineer of Sindh building department to rectify the faults.
