Srinagar, October 30 (KNO) : Seven years after the work was started on the ‘ Haba Khatoon’ Maternity and Children hospital here, the authorities have miserably failed to make the hospital functional despite the fact that over 17 Crore rupees were spent on the construction of the building. “Delay in operationalising the hospital is hitting patient-care and forcing them to either visit Lal Ded or JV Medical College or seek treatment in private sector,” said an official. “It’s unfortunate that the department has failed to the make the maternity hospital functional,” he said. Situated at Noorbagh Eidgah, the foundation stone of the hospital was laid by MLA Eidgah, Mubarak Gul on December 05, 2011.
Sources told KNO that even after Rs 17 Crore have been spent on the construction of the building, the authorities have failed to make Operation Theatre (OT) and labour room available in the hospital. “In maternity hospital Operation Theatre and labour room are vital part but that is still absent in the hospital,” they said.They said that the construction of this hospital was taken up to tackle the huge rush of patients in Lal Ded and JVC medical college Bemina but leaving it on mid-way has left the patients to suffer. The locals later also appealed the health department to make the hospital functional at an earliest. Director Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) Dr Kunzes Dolma while talking to KNO said that she took over as Director recently and has no knowledge about the maternity hospital so far. “I will find out as to why its operation has been delayed. I don’t know how much has been spent on it but I will look into it first,” she said. I am new, I will see what has happened and, I will find out why the hospital has not been made functional so far. (KNO)