Lifts have not been working for at least a week now, say patients’ relatives
Seven of the 16 elevators at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital are not working. The elevators are in both tower blocks, and are used by patients and their families to get from one part of the massive teaching hospital to another.
Relatives of patients said the lifts have not been working for at least a week now.
Three elevators in tower I (lift numbers 5, 7 and 9), and four in tower II (lift numbers 2, 5, 7 and 8) do not work.
Of the remaining nine lifts which are working, four are meant for use only by doctors and VIPs, leaving patients, their families and everybody else with only five lifts to access the six floors in each of the towers.
With around 50,000 people coming to the GH every day, including patients, their families, doctors, nurses and ward boys, every working lift is overcrowded, and there are long queues waiting outside them.
Families said that it was mostly senior citizens who were severely inconvenienced. Andal, an 85-year-old, who has been visiting her son at the hospital, said, “My back hurts and my body aches as I have to keep using the stairs. People rush into the lifts that are working and I can’t get in. So I have no choice but to take the stairs.”
Several people said the lifts were often not able to accommodate all the people waiting for them, since they have a weight limit. Families, and sometimes patients too, had to frequently use the stairs or ramp.
Hospital authorities say the lifts invariably break down from time to time as there are too many people using them.
“Repair work in is progress. It will take about 10 days for the lifts to be fixed,” said a hospital official.
Keywords: Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, hospital lifts, patient woes
Prevention is better than cure: Hospitals in India have become like hell
for the patients. Infrastructure essential for poor people in places such
as hospitals, schools, hostels, civil supply shops etc. must be subjected
to surprise inspections by concerned higher officials and action must be
taken then and there against defaulters.
Total Hypocrisy. Why can't they allow the general public to use the atleast two out of the four lifts that are exclusively meant for doctors & VVIP's. for the Dr's use atleast one can u/stand and who are these so called VVIP's. Elected by the general public!! I am surprised that we hv and also are not growing at all and imagine the plight of the 85year old lady saying.... it's so dis-heartening and worrying.
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