Several improvement works have been launched at the Government Kilpauk Medical Hospital in the past few weeks, including one to raise the floor level to prevent flooding during monsoon.
The Public Works Department, which is in charge of the maintenance of the hospital, has received Rs.1.8 crore from the State government for the much-needed repair works such as construction of stormwater drains inside the campus and a police outpost.
According to sources in the hospital, stormwater drains were not planned when the building was constructed 40 years ago. As the level of the road – EVR Periyar Salai – increased over the years, rainwater stagnation was an annual feature on the hospital campus. Compounding the problem is the Chetpet lake behind the hospital.
A few months ago, the police outpost was shifted to the rear end of the hospital in view of the Chennai Metro Rail work. This caused hardships to the families of victims involved in medico-legal issues. The new police outpost is being built in front of the new casualty block.
The authorities received a letter from Tourism Minister and Anna Nagar MLA, Gokula Indira, recently sanctioning Rs.30 lakh from her constituency development fund for improvement works in the hospital.
According to sources in the Minister's office, the letter was sent to the Chennai Corporation Commissioner. The hospital proposes to use the money to upgrade the paediatric wing.
KMC Hospital Dean T. Ramakrishnan said the hospital had sought an estimate from the PWD officials for improving the facilities in the wing. The hospital's Plastic Surgery department which has a dedicated Burns Unit with 50 beds and an intensive medical care unit had sought a separate building to provide comprehensive services to the patients. On any given day, around 45 beds are occupied.
According to V. Jayaraman, head, every day 10 persons are admitted for treatment. “The patients cannot be sent home immediately as they need psychological and social rehabilitation, considering the nature of the injury.”
The department had sent a proposal to the Health Department to sanction funds to construct a new building to house the Burns Ward.
Hospital sources said that the plan had been finalised and that within a few months the sanction would be received.
