South Kashmir’s only maternity hospital investment fails to deliver - Greater Kashmir

Anantnag, Nov 13: The lone Maternity and Child Care Hospital (MCCH) in south Kashmir continues to operate from a dilapidated, cramped building in Anantnag, despite being declared unsafe by the Fire and Emergency Services in 2014.

The facility, located in the congested Sherbagh area, remains the primary choice for pregnant women and newborns, despite severe space and safety concerns.

The MCCH Anantnag handles an overwhelming number of patients, with over 40,000 in the Out-Patient Department (OPD) and around 7000 in-patient admissions every month.

However, the hospital’s maternity ward, which was originally designed for only 40 beds, frequently operates beyond capacity.

At times, two to three patients are forced to share a single bed, increasing the risk of infections and complications.

A medic said that the shortage of space and poor hygiene in operating rooms and wards has led to high rates of cross-infection.

“There is no shortage of gynaecologists and obstetricians here, yet many patients are referred to tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar due to the lack of adequate facilities,” he said.

This puts additional pressure on Srinagar’s tertiary care hospitals, which could be avoided if MCCH had proper infrastructure.

The pediatric section is the worst affected, despite the availability of specialists, including a neonatologist.

A senior doctor highlighted the lack of space, with the section crammed into a few small rooms without proper seating or equipment for doctors.

“It is impossible to admit critically ill children into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) due to the severe shortage of space. The beds are placed so closely that the risk of infection remains alarmingly high,” the doctor said.

He said that the stench from nearby washrooms exacerbates the problem.

Abandoned Relocation Plan to Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital

Plans to relocate the hospital to the Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital on KP Road were shelved after the building was deemed not fulfilling safety criteria.

Constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) at Rs 13 crore, the building’s first two floors – built by the Rehmat-e-Alam Trust two decades ago – were declared structurally weak by IIT Jammu.

The institution recommended retrofitting and jacketing of the vital beams and columns to strengthen the building.

Subsequently the building was taken over by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department which estimated that an additional Rs 20 crore would be required for retrofitting, electrical, mechanical, and finishing work.

This prompted the authorities to abandon the relocation plan.

An official said that although the building was not officially declared unsafe, it failed to meet the post-2005 safety standards for hospital use.

“It seems that the Rs 13 crore spent on Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital has been wasted, as the project has been effectively shelved,” the official said.

Executive Engineer, R&B, Syed Ishfaq Ahmad said that the building did not meet the safety parameters.

“Besides strengthening, the mechanical work, electric work, and other finish work of the building was also required,” he said.

New Proposal for Hospital Building

The authorities have now proposed constructing a new 200-bed facility at the Government Medical College (GMC) Janglatmandi premises.

Principal of GMC Anantnag, Dr Rukhsana Najeeb, confirmed that a preliminary Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been submitted to the higher authorities.

“Now, we are planning to build a new facility at the GMC premises in Janglatmandi,” she said.

The prolonged delay and neglect in addressing the hospital’s infrastructure issues have left patients and healthcare providers in a dire situation.

“The building has already developed numerous cracks and is on the verge of collapse. It also lacks a proper fire extinguishing system. Who will be held responsible if a tragic incident occurs at the hospital?” the doctors said.