Panchkula: Under scrutiny for its bad condition, the civil hospital in Sector 6 is set for a major facelift as renovation and repair work officially began. With the state govt releasing dedicated funds, the public works department (PWD) commenced comprehensive revamp efforts aimed at modernising the hospital infrastructure and enhancing patient care.According to officials, the entire hospital complex will be renovated. Key focus areas include repairing the leaking roof of the emergency block, fixing widespread seepage issues in different parts of the hospital, and securing loose electrical wiring. Additionally, efforts will be made to strengthen the hospital’s weak online connectivity signals.Basic amenities are also on the list for urgent upgrades. The toilets, reportedly in a severely deteriorated condition, will be fully renovated. The old sewerage pipeline will be repaired, and entry points for rainwater seepage will be sealed. A large-scale repair and recarpeting of internal roads will also be undertaken. Parking facilities are being redesigned for better space management.A major update is planned for D Block, where central air conditioning will replace aging window units. To meet fire safety norms and obtain the Fire NOC (No Objection Certificate) for its D block, the hospital will also be equipped with water sprinklers, fire hoses, and smoke detectors.“This is a comprehensive revamp. We received funds and the PWD already started the work. Different tenders will be floated for different components of the project by the PWD,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr Mukta Kumar after an inspection of the hospital.The upgrade is expected to improve both patient experience and working conditions for staff, while aligning the hospital with updated health and safety standards.Box: Issues at hospitalIt may be mentioned here that TOI earlier highlighted the hospital’s bad condition in its report. Also, earlier, noting “health is a basic human right of every citizen”, which must be provided in all hospitals, the Haryana Human Rights Commission directed the Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Haryana, to depute a senior officer to look into the complaint about the poor condition of the hospital.In this complaint to the Commission, Complainant SK Nayar, President of Panchkula Citizens Welfare Association, stated that the functioning of the hospital is in a very dilapidated condition for the last few years. Following an inspection of the hospital, he complained that the roofs of doctors’ rooms and patient wards are leaking, and there is a lot of neglect in regular maintenance of the building and its surrounding areas. There is no proper place for garbage. The toilets in the hospital are in a very shabby state and are locked by the authorities, causing problems for patients and their attendants. Whenever there is a power supply failure, there is no light for the emergency ward, ICU, and maternity wards, causing a lot of inconvenience for patients. Security arrangements are not proper in the hospital, he alleged.
