New Delhi: A portion of a ceiling inside the emergency operation theatre complex of Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital collapsed recently, intensifying concerns over the condition of the only govt tertiary hospital in the trans-Yamuna area in east Delhi.No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred in the washing area attached to the OT. However, doctors and staff said the collapse highlighted the deteriorating state of the decades-old emergency block and the risks faced by both healthcare workers and patients.“A few months ago, a part of the roof and false ceiling fell inside the OT. On Wednesday, it happened in the washing area where we scrub before and after surgeries. Luckily, no one was scrubbing there at that time,” said a resident doctor.Medical staff working in the facility alleged that the ageing structure was in poor condition, with damaged false ceilings exposing rusted iron bars and heavily seepaged ceilings, pillars and other structural elements. They said repeated complaints had yielded little action.“Doctors and staff are scared to work there, especially since it compromises patient safety,” another doctor said. “The emergency OT is extremely busy and functions round the clock throughout the week. More than 15 to 20 surgeries, including orthopaedic, general surgery, neurosurgery and ENT procedures, are conducted there every day.”Doctors said they had earlier heard of plans to shift emergency services to the nearby Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, but no clear information was shared.Beyond the complex, staff members also pointed at faulty sewage lines, leaking pipes and chronic water seepage within the old hospital building.“The building was supposed to be abandoned, but got an extension a few years ago. The sewage system and pipes are faulty, washrooms remain blocked, and during rain, parts of the ground floor get flooded with sewage water,” a senior doctor alleged.Hospital staff also pointed at delays in a long-pending expansion project. According to doctors, a new building was proposed behind Delhi State Cancer Institute and the iron framework for a four-storeyed structure had remained incomplete for the past four-five years.No reply was received from the hospital administration or Delhi govt.Public Works Department had sought environmental clearance in Feb 2020 for a major expansion project to increase GTB Hospital’s capacity from 881 to 1,687 beds for approximately Rs 500 crore. The current building was completed in 1991.Govt records show that the revamp project was sanctioned in Sept 2021, with the planned capacity later revised to 1,912 beds. While the hospital currently has around 1,400 beds, officials estimate that occupancy often exceeds 1,500 patients.In March, chief minister Rekha Gupta announced plans to integrate GTB Hospital, Delhi State Cancer Institute and Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital into a unified autonomous medical institution modelled on AIIMS.
