'Unsafe' MKCG hospital building still in operation

Berhampur: Lives of hundreds of patients undergoing treatment inside the old indoor block of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur are in danger due to the dilapidated condition of the building.

Even though the 55-year-old building was declared unsafe by the Odisha government in the year 2014, patients continue to receive treatment inside it.

While paediatrics, medicine and surgery wards were shifted to new building, cardiology, nephrology, neurosurgery and plastic surgery wards are still functional in this old building.

Cracks in the walls and pillars, collapsing plasters have become a major concern for patients, doctors and nurses.

“The ceiling is extremely weak and if the concrete fall on us, we will be the worst sufferers,” said a patient, Kailash Goud.

Mithun Pradhan, a relative of a patient, said, “Nobody is safe here as sometimes even snakes enter the hospital premises.”

On the other hand, there are two new speciality wards at the hospital but they are yet to become fully functional. Meanwhile, the district administration has assured to demolish the old structure and the Medical Superintendent has said that the departments will be shifted to the new block soon.

“Barring electricity, all the facilities have been set up at the new block of the hospital. Soon, it will be functional,” said Professor Radha Madhav Tripathy, superintendent of MKCG hospital.

“We will soon take steps to demolish the unsafe buildings inside the hospital premises,” said Ganjam District Collector, Vijay Amruta Kulange.