Opening of 200-bed hospital in All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Bhopal is likely to be delayed due to slow equipment procurement work. AIIMS administration had last year claimed that the hospital with 150 trauma unit beds and 50 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds will start functioning from August 15, 2013 but the preparations are lagging far behind the schedule.
AIIMS Bhopal has been allotted Rs 200 crore for equipment procurement orders for procurement of equipment costing around Rs 20 crore have only been done. Tender for procurement of equipments with rest of Rs 180 crore has been delayed several times.
AIIMS Bhopal had been sanctioned Rs eight crore for procurement of Minimum Essential Equipments (MEM).According to sources, there are some other issues in the institute that can delay in the opening of the hospital.
One of the major issues is lack of sewage facility in the hospital; sewage system of the hospital could not be constructed due to the presence of three drains in the AIIMS campus.
The sewage of Saket Nagar passes through the AIIMS campus and in monsoon the sewages overflows and water collects in form of small pond in the institute premises. Dengue and malaria had spread last year due to the stagnant sewage water.
Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been assuring for last two years that the drainages will be constructed but this year too, the work is still lying incomplete. The AIIMS administration is planning to construct a temporary sewage tank until permanent measures are taken.
Besides, oxygen gas pipeline is yet to be installed in the wards, though the AIIMS administration assured that temporary arrangement of oxygen cylinder will be made but process for the temporary arrangements have also not started.
AIIMS Bhopal Director Dr Sandeep Kumar told ‘The Pioneer,’ “As the director of the institution I have authority to make purchases of upto Rs one crore only and rest every purchases are done through tender by central committee of AIIMS like institutes.”
“We are making every arrangement at our level to start the hospital by August 15, required number of doctors have already joined the institution,” added Dr Kumar. However, he declined to comment over equipment procurement process, which is stated to be the main reason behind his resignation.