Govt super speciality centre yet to be inaugurated

The centre’s building is complete and it is a part of Government Rajindra Hospital and Medical College; it should have been operational by September 1

The much-awaited super speciality centre at the Government Rajendra Hospital and Medical College has missed its fourth deadline for becoming operational. The super speciality centre was completed recently but there is no clarity on when it will be inaugurated.

The super specialty centre at the Government Rajendra Hospital and Medical College in Patiala. (HT Photo)

An official, requesting anonymity, said construction of the multi-storey building of the centre and recruitment of doctors has been completed but the Punjab government is yet to decide on who will inaugurate the building.

Medical education and research department has requested the state and central government to inaugurate the centre at the earliest. However, the department has not got any response so far.

The centre was first supposed to start functioning from September, 2018. However, the government failed to complete the work within the set deadline. Later, January 1, 2019 was reset as the deadline, which was again shifted to July 1. The government, then, decided to make it functional from September 1.

An official, requesting anonymity, said, “The Punjab and central government is yet to decide the date and a government official to inaugurate the building. The department wants that the super speciality centre should be inaugurated jointly by the state and the Centre. The muted behaviour of both the governments is delaying the inauguration.”

According to the department, under the project, 14 departments including cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, cardiotherapy and vascular surgery, neurosurgery, neonatology, pediatric surgery, endocrinology, medical and surgical gastroenterology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, nephrology and neurology will be established at the hospital.

The ₹150 crore project was initiated in 2013 by the Union ministry of health and family welfare under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. In February 2014, former Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had laid the foundation of the super speciality centre.