Facing criticism for not providing enough facilities at the Gandhi Centenary Eye Hospital (GCEH) located in Dalanwala area, the state health department has finally swung into action and issued a slew of instructions.
The officiating Director General (DG), Health Services, Dr l M Upreti said that all pending works in the hospital would be completed soon. "The Public Works Department (PWD) has been directed to expedite all pending works that include work on sewer and incomplete work of the second floor of the Hospital." Adding that, arrangements for distribution of free spectacles to poor and elderly in the hospital are being made.
The department is trying to rope in some non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for the distribution of spectacles. Dr Upreti added that new equipments for pathology laboratory of the Hospital would be purchased and technical arrangements for waste disposal, maintenance of equipment, air conditioner and generator would also be made.
A meeting of Government officials and senior Doctors of the GCEH was organised in the Health Directorate On Tuesday, where they reviewed the prevailing problems in of the hospital and how to fix it immediately.
The meeting was attended by officiating DG, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Gandhi Centenary Eye hospital Dr R C Nagpal, senior eye surgeon Dr B C Ramola, director finance of health department S S Singh, Additional Director Dr Alok Tewatia and State Programme Officer Eye, Dr V C Kala.
In the meeting, they decided to start other multi speciality hospital services in the hospital apart from eye care treatment. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Dehradun was directed to start a Jan Aushadhi Kendra (JAK) in the hospital with the help of Red Cross Society Dehradun. It was also decided to take the services of Hans Foundation for betterment of the eye hospital.
However, the cost of Rs 23 cr, to start a sepearte super speciality eye care unit for public, which was inaugrated last year on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti is still incompleted.
It is worth mentioning here that the tender for purchase of modern machines and equipment for the hospital has been cancelled four times in last one year.