It was last year in May that the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) super-speciality hospital, Erragadda, built at a cost of Rs.130 crore with 126 beds, was inaugurated. After 16 months, the structure that was touted as ‘state-of-the-art’ is leaking with rainwater at vital locations.
The doctors here are distraught. The water is seeping into several operation theatres, cellars, surgical stores and a host of other areas, mostly corners, in the second and third floors.
Doctors in the hospital said that during the recent rains, portions of false ceiling in several rooms fell off because of dampness.
According to top hospital officials, the issue of water leakage into vital operation theatres and other areas was brought to the notice of Director General, ESIC, New Delhi.
No response
“The agency that took up construction of the building is Kanakdhara Ventures Pvt Ltd. We have twice sent letters to the DG, ESIC requesting for repairs to be taken up. We are still waiting for some action,” is the official line from ESIC authorities here.
The centrally air-conditioned hospital has cardiology and cardio-thoracic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, nephrology and urology and paediatric surgery wings.
However, none of the surgical departments are fully operational because of lack of medical equipment. Only the radiology department with MRI and CT scans is fully functional.
In need of repair
Officials familiar with the administration of the ESIC hospital, said that it will take anywhere between Rs.50 lakh and Rs.one crore or even more to take up repair works. “All the four floors in the hospital have certain regions where rainwater has seeped in from the roof. In the cellar, stagnant rainwater is still there near the lifts and electricity systems. The generators here need repairs. Some are working while others are not,” officials said.
“For a first time visitor, the hospital looks great. But a different story emerges when somebody ventures deeper into the building. A portion of false ceiling has come off at several rooms inside because of the damp walls. The storeroom where surgery-related equipment is stored is leaking. The equipment is thus in grave danger,” a hospital employee said.
