Making way for a new Secretariat

Apart from the Govt. Chest Hospital at Erragadda, several other medical institutions in the vicinity will be razed

It’s not just the Government Chest Hospital at Erragadda that has to make way for the new Telangana Secretariat building, but other medical institutions located in the vicinity too.

A government order (G.O. Ms. No. 166) issued on March 24 mentions the construction of the new Secretariat building complex on land belonging to the Government Ayurveda Hospital, Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Drug Control Administration and Erragadda Mental Health Institute.

Needless to say, the G.O. has sent shockwaves among health care providers and research institutes as none of them have a clue as to what the future would look like. As per the G.O., a five-member committee comprising principal secretaries from fina-nce, transport, revenue and municipal administration and urban development departments has been set up to decide and finalise the issue.

The move to shift the medical institutions has evoked sharp reactions from doctors.

“This teaching hospital has a hostel, outpatient and inpatient facility consisting of close to 300 undergraduate students pursuing a five-year course in Ayurveda. This is recognised by the Central Council of India Medicine. We were shocked to learn about this GO and it is quite illogical to raze educational institutions,” said doctors of the Government Ayurvedic Hospital.

The hospital is spread over 10 acres and shares its campus with the Unani Teaching Hospital that occupies five acres. “The Unani facility came up with Central funds. Perhaps that’s why the State Government has not mentioned it in the GO. There’s no logic in shifting one hospital while keeping the other,” doctors pointed out.

Senior doctors have said that so far there has been no clarity on the issue of providing an alternative place.

“Already, there is a new building being constructed that also includes a laboratory in the DCA campus. We have no idea what will happen to it. The decision to include all health institutions in the vicinity of Chest Hospital is quite puzzling,” is the refrain from drug inspectors of Drug Control Administration.

Interestingly, apart from Chest Hospital, there is anot-her tuberculosis facility that caters exclusively to severe multiple-drug resistant TB patients. “This is the only fac-ility that serves drug resistant TB patients. We hope there is some clarity in the months to come,” doctors said.