Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Aug 29: For last 10 years, three-storey maternity hospital of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura remained incomplete affecting the healthcare of women of a vast area.
The up-gradation of the SKIMS Maternity Hospital to 140 bedded hospital was announced in 2008 and it was meant to increase the capacity of existing maternity unit and give women access to specialized treatment but successive Governments’ failure to complete the hospital has left thousands of women in despair.
Minister of State for Health and Medical Education, Asiea Naqash informed Excelsior that the hospital administration was battling to strike a balance between the funds allocated and the work done on the ground and that was the reason behind this inordinate delay. “We have already allocated funds for the work but whosoever takes the project we have to ensure the work is done properly. All legitimate demands will be looked into. We will not let people suffer more,” she said.
She said that for the second phase of the project, funds have already been released and directions have been given to speed up the construction work. “For phase 1, the meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister of the State herself and sanctions were released accordingly.. For phase 2, money has been already released,” the MoS Health said.
Sita Ram Dogra, Chief Executive Engineer SKIMS, said that the project was old and the estimate and funding pattern needed to be updated. “Initially the project was estimated to cost Rs. 15.82 crore, which by any means was an underestimate and need to be looked into. Presently, we are trying to complete only IPD block of the hospital so that hospital starts rendering its services. The documentation work for the construction ‘civil works’ has been completed and tenders will be called soon”, he said.
While explaining the project details and possible reasons behind the delay, Dogra said that “in the revised estimate we have included an STP, Oxygen concentration plant or a five line standby oxygen plant, availability of medical gas and two more operation theatres”. “Now, the hospital will be built as per the prescribed standards. Earlier, these things were not taken into consideration”, he said.
An official, however, attributed the failure of the project to the miscalculations and lack of will from the former executive agency to finish the project. “The initial project cost was highly miscalculated and the contractor immediately moved to court for increase in funds after he found that the project was underestimated. He didn’t want to bear the loss so he decided to abandon the project. The executive agency was never serious about the project,” he said.
Currently, Trust Hospital at SKIMS with bed strength of 20 is the only maternity service at the premier institute. SKIMS, where services of cardiology, endocrinology and other specialities are utilised by many women, fails these women in times of their maternities. “That is the crucial time when these specialized services should be just around the corner,” said a gynecologist.
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