ISLAMABAD, Feb 14: The delay in the completion of renovation work at the emergency ward of the Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH), commonly known as Polyclinic , has become a source of inconvenience to patients with critical injuries who are forced to frequent between the main hospital and the temporary emergency department.

The hospital administration had shifted the emergency ward to a nearby school of nursing across the road on a temporary basis to refurbish the emergency ward. The hospital administration while initiating the construction work on January 27, 2004, had given the deadline of a week after which the emergency ward had to resume functioning.

However, the process going on for the last 18 days has still not completed and there seems no chance of its completion in the near future.

"Lack of proper planning and management is the main reason for the delay," said a casualty medical officer (CMO) while talking to Dawn.

Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Naro, Deputy Medical Superintendent of the hospital, admitted the delay but said the administration had to face two handicaps in the shape of recent rains and long Eid holidays.

The hospital management had decided to lay glazed and marble tiles on the walls as well as on the floor of the emergency area besides renovating the entire facility by increasing beds both for male and female patients.

"When the construction work started, we realized certain flaws and decided to establish a cardiac resuscitating room and a radiology department by providing X-ray facilities within the emergency and to shift the rooms of some senior doctors situated in the main emergency area by building separate offices for them outside the hospital entrance," said Dr Naro.