Agitated employees stated that they would explore all options against the move
Employees of the Government Tuberculosis and Chest Hospital protest the government's decision on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)
Hyderabad: The Telangana government has decided to shift the Government Tuberculosis and Chest Hospital at Erragadda, Ameerpet, to the TB Sanatorium at Anantagiri, Vikarabad in Ranga Reddy district.
A government order was issued on Tuesday wherein Rs 7.70 crore was allocated to carry out repair works and renovation of the TB Sanatorium. Meanwhile, agitated employees stated that they would explore all options to ensure that it was not shifted away from the city. It is the only hospital exclusively for respiratory diseases and it will not serve the purpose of patients if it is relocated far away.
On Tuesday morning, the presence of state revenue officers taking land measurements got the employees of the Chest Hospital worried. Over 100 employees gathered and demanded what the officials were up to. The buildings of the Chest Hospital are spread over 30 acre while it also has 30 acre of urban forestry.
A senior employee said, “The government order clearly shows the intention of the government. How can the state decide to shift a hospital 70 km from the city? How will patients come to Vikarabad? We are catering to patients from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and even Maharashtra. They are coming here because it is well-connected.”
Seventy per cent of the patients who come to the Chest Hospital have breathing or respiratory problems. There are patients of tuberculosis, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulm-onary Disease (COPD), pneumonia, lung cancer, swine flu (H1N1) and also HIV patients.
“It is not only the shifting of buildings, but a complete system involving patients, volunteers, doctors, para-medical staff and their service base of medicines and its outlets. The government has to understand these aspects before taking any decision.”
Dr Subhakar K., senior professor at the Chest Hospital said, “As government employees we do not have a problem working anywhere but wherever the hospital is located there must be patients. This hospital is 40-years-old and is well established. Will relocating it far away serve the purpose?”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao visited the Chest Hospital on January 23, but he did not meet the superintendent or inquire about the patients. This left the hospital staff worried. There are 400 employees in Chest Hospital and over 50 ‘out-sourced’ employees.
According to senior government doctors, “The land area was discussed and a tour of the whole premises was given to the CM. We have not been called for discussions and a government order has been issued. This is very unfair.”
( Source : dc correspondent )
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