Pulling down OGH is no answer

The idea of dismantling an iconic structure to accommodate the present needs, as it is old and crumbling, is akin to ill-treating the mother just because she turned old and is not much of any help; it doesn't stand for logic. It is no doubt that the hospital services require a revamp and relook.

Do not extend the hospital services in the present main building. Give it a Rest. Not dismantling. What is required is to identify an area of sufficient size to accommodate the hospital with future requirements I am a proud Osmanian, having graduated and post-graduated from 1966to 1978.

I owe everything to this institution for shaping and making me what I am today like many other students. The hospital which had a humble beginning as a small Afjalgunj Hospital got shifted into the present building after its construction in 1920 with an accommodation for about 250-300 patients.

It became a teaching hospital once Osmania Medical College was recognised by the Medical Council of India. Since then, it opened its arms to medical students at undergraduate and then post graduates and super/sub-specialities in a phased manner, expanding its bed strength, diagnostic modalities and treatment and operative facilities.

OGH has been imparting not only the knowledge of medicine but also exposing the young minds to the luminaries of medical profession, tragically forgetting about its own health like many of the mothers. For almost 100 years, it extended has its services, never complaining like a loving mother about all the shabby treatment meted out to it by the successive governments.

New departmental spaces were added without taking into consideration the long-term implications. To top it all, now the undergraduate input is increased to 250, with its corresponding increase in hospital logistics like bed strength, number of doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitation workers and diagnostic modalities, adding to already existing problems of space.

It is the right time, even though late, to look into these problems with an eye for next 50 to100 years projections and requirements. Any process of shifting is painful and with problems. Constructions will take a minimum period of 3 to 5 years before the original hospital starts functioning ( personal experience as the first superintendent of Gandhi Hospital involved in shifting and making it functioning), the planning should be based on these bare facts and should not be a stop gap arrangements, as it involves not only the patient care but training of medical students, postgraduates, super specialty PGs, nursing and dental students every year (at any given time the number can be about 1000 students).

The idea of dismantling an iconic structure to accommodate the present needs, as it is old and crumbling, is akin to ill-treating the mother just because she turned old and is not much of any help; it doesn't stand for logic. It is no doubt that the hospital services require a revamp and relook. Do not extend the hospital services in the present main building. Give it a Rest. Not dismantling.

What is required is to identify an area of sufficient size to accommodate the hospital with future requirements for outpatient , inpatient , diagnostic facilities, nursing school/college with hostels for both students and staff nurses, internees quarters , resident quarters, faculty quarters, and fourth class employee quarters and also to accommodate the Osmania medical college which is about 4km from the hospital, with its hostel and the grounds in the same campus, so as to fulfill all the requirements of medical council of India and also providing a campus to the medical students and patient services.

This was fulfilled to a major extent for Gandhi Medical College and Hospital which has got its own campus with adequate space for any expansion for next 100yrs. In this regard the land available with chanchal guda jail complex or race cource compex or any other area( present secretariat, if it is shifted) can be explored.

Now the medical council of India has reduced the land requirement to about 10 acres in cities. This should be the top priority for the Govt. This will be the best long term option for Osmania. Meanwhile there is no urgent need to shift the pts to different hospitals in the city and create problems for the pts, faculty and the students.

The news of hospital is being re organised it self will reduce the burden on the hospital and the pts for there elective needs will approach other hospitals available like Gandhi and others or their respective district level hospitals. The immediate concern is to provide outpatient and emergency services to the patients and to provide facilities for clinical training for the students.

Following measures can be initiated for the same:

1. The existing emergency block to take care of all the emergencies, and, if need be, additional floors with OR facilities and ICU facilities to be arranged.

2. The existing Quli Qutubshah block to accommodate all specialties like CT surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Plastic and other speciality surgeries. If required new floors and OTs should be created.

3. Both the wings, right and the left of the main building, are not part of the original building (the one for PGs and gastroenterology and office, and the other for interns and canteen). They require to be dismantled and plan and construct there a block for OP and to accommodate in-patients of medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, and specialities

4. The existing nursing school and college and the employees area could be planned for nurses, internees and resident accommodation, taking into consideration the requirements from heritage authorities.

5. All the top floors of the main building should be closed for all activities, thus minimising the load. The ground floor can still function with in-patient medical wards and AMC and administration. Once the new blocks are ready, these departments can be shifted.

6. Instead of high rise buildings, what is practical is multiple small floor buildings distributed around the main building without disturbing its heritage status and protecting it.

7. Students of medicine, surgery and orthopeadics can be shifted temporarily to Gandhi Hospital for teaching purposes

With collective inputs, the virtual and real problems of Mother Osmania can be solved and it can shine and function with all its original glory and prestige extending all its helpful hands to generations to come. Long live Osmania! (The writer is a former Director of Medical Education, Government of AP, and First Superintendent, Gandhi Hospital, Hyderabad)