After 2 years in limbo: Work on 100-bed CCU begins at Jalandhar civil hospital
A centrally-sponsored project faced hiccups due to the failure of the state health department to acquire adequate land within its premises
The work on the much-hyped critical care unit (CCU) at Jalandhar’s Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Civil Hospital, one of the largest in the state, eventually began two years after the announcement. The project is estimated to cost ₹44.50 crore and would be borne by both the state and Centre jointly.
A centrally-sponsored project faced hiccups due to the failure of the state health department to acquire adequate land within its premises. However, the department has finally managed to shift its civil surgeon office to another location within the civil hospital premises, clearing the way for the project to start.
The CCU, which will come up under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, will be a five-storeyed 100-bedded building giving quality treatment to critical patients in the district.
Jalandhar civil surgeon Dr Jyoti Sharma said the acquired land within the civil hospital premises had been handed over to the Public Works Department (PWD) to start the work.
“The shifting of the civil surgeon office has already started, while the concerned department has started clearing trees from the spot. The construction process will begin soon,” she said, adding that the project will boost the health facilities in the Doaba region.
“We are hoping to complete the project at the earliest,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}“We are hoping to complete the project at the earliest,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}The PWD has already prepared a detailed project report and has already awarded tenders for the construction of the building.
{{/usCountry}}The PWD has already prepared a detailed project report and has already awarded tenders for the construction of the building.
{{/usCountry}}The Doaba region lacks public critical care facilities and the patients were forced to go either to Chandigarh, Ludhiana or Amritsar for advanced treatment.
{{/usCountry}}The Doaba region lacks public critical care facilities and the patients were forced to go either to Chandigarh, Ludhiana or Amritsar for advanced treatment.
{{/usCountry}}As per the proposal, the building will house cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, ICU and a trauma centre. “The unit will be linked with government medical colleges, thus making secondary and tertiary healthcare possible,” a hospital official, who didn’t wish to be named, said.
{{/usCountry}}As per the proposal, the building will house cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, ICU and a trauma centre. “The unit will be linked with government medical colleges, thus making secondary and tertiary healthcare possible,” a hospital official, who didn’t wish to be named, said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the axing of trees has also invited criticism from the general public. Hospital’s ex-employee Avtar Singh said that though it is important to build health facilities, it should not come at the cost of destroying the environment.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the axing of trees has also invited criticism from the general public. Hospital’s ex-employee Avtar Singh said that though it is important to build health facilities, it should not come at the cost of destroying the environment.
{{/usCountry}}“The trees being axed by the department are decades old, and all the promises of the district administration to preserve these trees have fallen flat,” he said.
