The time taken to complete the new buildings in Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital here has resulted in hardships to patients. While inpatients say they do not have access to water even in the bathrooms, outpatients and visitors are forced to use mobile toilets installed on the hospital premises.
Four mobile units were installed some weeks ago to cater to the needs of the visitors as sewage and drainage system is being laid for the upcoming casualty block behind the Diabetology Department.
As a result, water supply and sewage facilities in the block near the new construction have been affected.
A person who went to admit a patient in the hospital's Diabetology Department, which is next to the new building, on Tuesday said he was shocked to learn that there was no water supply even for inpatients. “There is no water for use by patients but the walls of the department are being tiled,” he complained.
According to senior doctors in the hospital, the delay in laying the sewage system by the Public Works Department had severely compromised public facilities in the departments such as Diabetology, Cardiology and Plastic Surgery (Burns).
The new blocks are being built adjacent to the buildings housing the wards of these specialities.
Two new buildings – an outpatient block and a casualty block, equipped with laboratories, blood bank and cardiac cath lab – are coming up on the hospital premises. The buildings must be completed before the commencement of the new academic year as the KMC has proposed to introduce postgraduate courses in cardiothoracic surgery.
“The hospital receives at least 2,000 patients every day. Of this 1,000 come to the Diabetology Department alone. How can four mobile toilets fulfil our requirement,” a senior doctor asked.
According to a senior official of the hospital, there was no shortage of water. “We are supplying water to the nursing students' hostel too. The Metrowater gives us two tankers free of cost when we ask for it. But, we are unable to prevent the patient attendants from washing clothes, which results in water shortage,” she said.
The official added that a voluntary organisation had provided the mobile toilets. The hospital wants it to construct a common toilet for outpatients and visitors.
