Pregnant women suffer as IPW building lacks amenities

Tirupati: The Institute of Pregnant Women (IPW) building here is still lying vacant even after three months of its inauguration. The state government has failed in fulfilling its promise of providing the required equipment, human resources and other infrastructure within
45 days.

• The 300-bedded hospital constructed with Rs 77 crore has been lying vacant for the last 3 months even after inauguration
• Health Minister’s promise to provide infrastructure and medical staff to IPW within 45 days is not fulfilled

Health Minister Dr Kamineni Srinivas assured on the day of its inauguration by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on August 7, that they will be providing required infrastructure and manpower on war footing. As a result, the woes of pregnant women were continuing at the Government Maternity Hospital which is inadequate for the increasing number of patients.

It may be recalled that Rs 77 crore 300 bedded IPW building was built with the Central government funds. The foundation stone was laid on April 2, 2012 and it was inaugurated on February 26, 2014. Soon after the inauguration, it was handed over to SVIMS to house Sri Padmavathi Medical College for Women (SPMCW) there.

Without this building the college would have lost 150 medical seats. Though, they took it for one year, for some reason or the other, they did not vacate the building till July this year. Meanwhile, former MP Chinta Mohan, who was instrumental in getting the building sanctioned by the Central government, had fought on several occasions opposing the handing over of the same to the Sri Venkateswara Medical College.

Once, the construction works of SPMCW were completed, it was moved into its new building and SVIMS handed over the IPW building to the DM&HO for further orders. Even after its re-inauguration in August this year, it was kept vacant due to lack of infrastructure.

There were only 170 beds in the existing maternity hospital and the inpatients at any given time would be around 300. Daily about 40 deliveries take place in the hospital. Having two antenatal women on one bed has become a common scene in maternity hospital. On the other hand, the new IPW building is 300-bedded hospital.

It can facilitate 100 deliveries at a time in air-conditioned rooms. Patients can have better facilities at the new building. Though the building worth crores of rupees is ready it could not be used due to the lethargic attitude of government machinery. Their apathy in providing all equipment and infrastructure was resulting in the continuous inconvenience to the poor patients as well as to the doctors.

Speaking to The Hans India, the District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr Aruna Sulochana Devi said that she has already written to the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare for further orders in this regard. She took up the matter to the notice of Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas also during his visit to Tirupati on Saturday. Once, she gets further orders, she will hand over the building to the Superintendent of Government Maternity Hospital and other things will follow. It was not a problem, she averred.

By V Pradeep Kumar