Niloufer in for more trouble

. CCTVs don't work in hospital if power fails . Authorities' plea to Govt goes in vain Sudheer Goutham Hyderabad: Niloufer Hospital of Hyderabad, the premier and only children's hospital in the state, that has been prone to child- lifting ,is exposed to more of such risks as the power cuts have a crippling effect on its security system.A The CCTV cameras installed at some 18 vantage points in the hospital premises providing a round the clock vigil on the moments of the patients and the staff in the premier pediatric institution go blind whenever power goes off. They remain idle for long hours thanks to the power cuts. The hospital was equipped with CCTVs as part of the security system especially after repeated instances of baby theft that were reported even as a "fool �proof" security system was put in place.A Looked upon as the major state-of-art mother and child care hospital in Asia, it remained no exception to the power woes. The hospital experiences prolonged power cuts as part of the load shedding, and the timings are uncertain, despite the power utilities announcing a specific schedule for that, complained patients and attendants in the hospital, while speaking to The Hans India.A "We have requested the electricity department to avoid power cuts from 9 am to 4 pm in the hospital, when most surgeries, health investigations and diagnosis are carried," said Dr Daruru Ranganath, Superintendent, Niloufer Hospital. The support provided by the generator during the power cuts is limited. "We have generator back up that can meet electricity requirement in crucial units including -new born baby ward, gynec operation theater, neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU), post operative surgical ward," said the hospital superintendent. But there is no such generator supplied power arrangement for general wards. During the hour-long power cuts the security system at the hospital goes for toss as the CCTVs do not function as they do not have round-the-clock power back up.A Moreover, some patients have no respite from darkness and heat as most wards have worn out electrical wiring due to which fans and lights do not work. "It is an old building and the worn out facilities are beyond the scope of repair. The problem can be addressed only when the facilities are shifted to new block (450-bedded-Rajiv Intensive care unit present opposite to the old-building) which is yet to be opened," said Dr Ranganath. Research and academic activities on childhood illness and women disease are undertaken in the hospital. At any given day, the hospitals accommodate over 800 patients in its inwards which is almost double capacity. It renders treatment to over 1,000 to 1,200 outpatients who pour in from different districts in the state.