Cantonment Hospital reduced to dispensary

​Hyderabad: The 30-bed Cantonment Hospital in Bolarum, which is functioning just like a dispensary without any in-patient services, has remote possibility of coming out of ICU. There is no clarity on upgrading the medical service in this hospital as per understanding reached between the Telangana government and the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) eight months ago.  Telangana health department that is handicapped by shortage of doctors and other staff is yet to depute its teams to the hospital.

After elected ward members from the SCB approached Minister KT Rama Rao in September last year with a request that latest infrastructure and facilities at the hospital be utilised to full extent so that people living in Kompally, Bolarum, Alwal, Shamirpet and nearby areas get benefitted, the minister directed his colleague in Cabinet and Health Minister C Laxma Reddy to take stock of the situation and do the needful.

Accordingly, Laxma Reddy visited the hospital and declared his intentions to start services within a month’s time in the hospital, initially with maternity services including distribution of KCR Kits for pregnant women undergoing institutional deliveries. Eight months passed since this decision was taken, but nothing has materialised so far.

While the SCB would allocate the building, it is the Telangana health department that has to take care of the operations of hospital. The SCB passed a resolution to this effect and it was handed over to Principal Secretary (Medical and Health).

With little manpower available with SCB, Telangana Health department has to pitch in with surgeons, specialist doctors, anesthesiologists, nurses, and technical staff to operate medical equipment.

However, Telangana health department does not have additional medical staff, including doctors and paramedics on rolls in city hospitals for immediate deputation to the Cantonment hospital. Understandably, restoration of medical services is getting delayed.

It may be mentioned here that the department identified over 10,000 vacancies in all categories and initially clearance has been given for recruiting 4,000-odd posts initially. 

In this backdrop, restoration of Cantonment hospital will get delayed in all likelihood. Manohar Parrikar inaugurated this renovated hospital in June 2016 when he was the Defence Minister in the present NDA government.

BJP MLC N Ramachander Rao, who participated in the hospital inauguration programme along with Manohar Parrikar and KT Rama Rao, urged the state government to expedite staff allocation to benefit people.

By: Mahesh Avadhutha