Hyderabad: The Osmania General Hospital is only suffering from surface damages, which can be repaired, stated an Intach team that has been surveying the hospital since the last three days. Intach — Hyderabad chapter took the initiative and had a team of 15 experts look over the hospital.
In its preliminary report, Intach national head for Architectural Heritage, Divya Gupta, said, “It is structurally fit but has a slight fever because it is not maintained properly. In the grades which we give to heritage buildings, the hospital can be termed as ‘good’ and is nowhere close to the grade of dilapidated.”
The preliminary report further stated that the building was structurally good and stable hence there was no threat to it or its occupants. But the maintenance of the building was very bad and required attention and improvement.
Senior professor N.V. Ramana Rao of Jawaharlal Nehru Technology University said, “We have also stated that the building’s maintenance has been very bad and it requires to be looked into. It is not being properly maintained for years. There is lot of seepage of water and vegetation growth in the structure. The portion of the building that has collapsed shows that there is already extensive corrosion there. Even if it is repaired it may not last very long. We have given our view of the collapsed portion in the inpatient block. Otherwise generally the building has developed a lot of cracks. The chief engineer of Andhra Pradesh, Medical and Health Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation was informed that they must approach the Heritage committee before carrying out the repairs.”
The Heritage committee requires to be involved as the repairs are to be done according to specifications. JNTU experts, in their report, have stated that the repairs will ensure strengthening of the structure but as it is a hospital, there is a large number of patients due to which the load is very high and hence the number of years can’t be guaranteed.
Facilities must be improved: TJAC
Importance must be given to hospital infrastructure and improving the facilities for the patients visiting Osmania General Hospital, which is completely lacking right now, stated Telangana Political Joint Action committee chairman Professor M. Kodandaram on Monday morning. Prof. Kodandaram, who spent six hours in OGH, inspected the building and also took pictures of the places where the plaster was falling off. In the main hall, he stood with the doctors and also took a “selfie” with the hospital in the background.
He said, “The infrastructure of the building is pathetic and requires a lot of improvement. We must first understand that the hospital has to function efficiently. There is a need for the improvement of sanitation conditions, better patient care, better doctor attention and input and also better healthcare facilities for those who can’t afford good healthcare. Our first goal will be to keep in mind that the hospital condition has to be improved.”
In a marathon meeting with Telangana Government Doctors Association and also T-OGH Doctors Association, Prof. Kodandaram noted the problems that were being faced in running the hospital. He said, “We need to first look at health and then the heritage aspect of the building. To look at both issues in one light will not help. While heritage is also very important, it has to be understood that the hospital facilities require attention. Hence ‘deep thinking’ will be required and a consensus is required on the issue.” He also appealed to the Old Students Association of OGH to understand the issue both in terms of health and heritage.
