New Out-Patient Block To Come Up At ESIC Hospital

Minister of State for Employment and Labour (independent charge) Santosh Kumar Gangwar laid foundation stone for the new out patient department (OPD) at ESIC Medical College and Hospital at Sanathnagar on Wednesday. Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Mr. Gangwar directed the officials concerned to complete the work in one year.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy, Telangana Minister for Labour, Employment and Factories Ch. Malla Reddy and others were also present.

Earlier, the OP services were run from an old building. Since it was in a dilapidated state, the OP department was shifted to student hostels while medical students were shifted to quarters. However, the hospital authorities said they needed more space to function considering the increasing number of patients.

“We can add more sample collection centres and increase the number of consultation rooms and minor operation theatres which will help in cutting down the time patients have to wait for their turn to avail medical services,” said T. Madhuri, registrar of the medical college and hospital.

In a day, around 2,000 to 2,500 patients register for OP services and the number goes up to 4,000 on a few days.

Speaking on the occasion, Telangana Minister of Labour Malla Reddy requested Mr. Gangwar to increase the number of beds at the ESIC Hospital to 1,000 and allot another 800-bed hospital in Medchal. Currently, the ESIC Medical College has 470 beds and the super specialty hospital has 150 beds.

He has also requested for ₹20 crore to be granted by the ESIC headquarters to the super speciality hospital’s oncology department to be used for other departments such as nephrology and cardiology.

Mr. Gangwar said ₹20 crore was not restricted to oncology department, but could be used for other departments and needs. He also assured them of more funds, if need be.

Referring to the Directorate of Insurance Medical Services office in Musheerabad which comes under the State government, Mr. Kishan Reddy said if the State government hands over the building, the Central government was ready to construct a hospital there.

He further said to help people avoid travelling from various places to ESIC Hospital at Sanathnagar, mini hospitals could be built across the city.

Meanwhile, around six months after the ESIC Hospital procured five dialysis machines, the hospital authorities are in the process of buying 20 more machines. Around 15 to 20 patients a day are provided the services. Each cycle of dialysis takes around three to four hours. A few of the five machines are being used for dialysis for HIV positive patients. The hospital authorities said it would take two to three months to procure the machines. At least 60 more patients a day can undergo the procedure thereafter. – The Hindu