GMC Srinagar’s plan to move CD Hospital still in limbo two years later

Srinagar, Nov 06: Two years ago, Government Medical College Srinagar ordered relocation of Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital from Dalgate to vacant GB Panth Hospital, but no action has been taken.
In October 2022, Principal GMC Srinagar in an order directed to relocate CD Hospital to utilise vacant GB Panth Hospital and provide better facilities to the patients after paediatric services of GB Panth Hospital were shifted to Children’s Hospital Bemina.
Patients visiting CD Hospital face significant challenges, particularly in OPD and emergency sections, due to limited space and overcrowding, raising concerns about the delay in its relocation.
“The oldest and largest CD Hospital faces many challenges with patients citing space constraints and limited resources hampering their access to quality care. The hospital should have been shifted to the outskirts just like the Children Hospital,” said Junaid Ahmad, from Srinagar who attended his mother at the hospital.
Officials said that the medical college authorities sit over the shifting of Chest Diseases Hospital to GB Panth Sonwar as repair and renovation works are still pending there.
They said the Mechanical and R&B Departments have framed the DPR, which has been submitted to GMC Srinagar and further submitted to higher authorities for approval.
In October last year, the then MS CD hospital had written to the executive engineer of MH&CH Srinagar to inspect support systems and carry out rectifications of whatever was needed on an emergency basis at GB Panth Hospital before shifting to CD hospital there.
The officials also said the GB Pant Hospital has good facilities in terms of space, bed capacity, rooms for doctors, and proper machinery and there are around 250 beds in GB Pant Hospital while CD Hospital has only a 150-bedded capacity.
The Health and Medical Education Department is yet to take a final call as the repairing works have not been taken up yet which has caused further delay in its shifting.
Medical Superintendent of CD Hospital, Dr. Sameena Saba, stated that a proposal for the hospital’s relocation has already been submitted to higher authorities, who are yet to make a decision.
“Some renovation work is still pending and hasn’t started yet. Additionally, oxygen backup is needed due to ventilation issues at the GB Panth Hospital. Converting a children’s hospital into a chest diseases hospital has specific requirements,” she said.
Officials stated that the existing Chest Diseases Hospital would be repurposed as a Communicable/Infectious Diseases Hospital and, if needed in the future, may also serve as a Drug De-Addiction Center.
They also said the Tuberculosis Division of the Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine Department will continue to operate at the current location.