NAVNEET DUBEY
Jammu: After the 65-year old building of Government hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu was declared unsafe, the hospital has now been shifted to adjoining 200 bedded MCH hospital. The hospital failed a safety audit, prompting authorities to declare it unsafe for patients. This hospital with a capacity of 150 beds is the biggest hospital working under the Health Directorate Jammu. The Health Department initiated the relocation after the Design and Quality Control Department’s report highlighted the hospital’s poor condition, citing its age and structural weaknesses. The relocated hospital’s services will now be provided at the Maternity Hospital, ensuring continued medical care for the community.
A few weeks ago, the Design and Quality Control Department conducted a safety audit of this hospital. This team included Research Officer Dr. Amit Sharma, Assistant Executive Engineer Gurjeet Singh, Assistant Executive Engineer Seema Manhas, Engineer Syed Raza Ali, Scientific Assistant Vijay Kumar and Sunil Dhar.
During the visit, the committee carried out preliminary inspection of the hospital and as communicated to the committee that the structure is more than 65 years old and has already outlived its useful life. It is assumed that the structures were laid out mostly in M-15 but the compressive strength obtained in preliminary testing is much lower than I15N/mm2 . It has been observed at many locations that there has been considerable seepage through slab and walls that has degraded the strength of structural members including reinforcement. Sign of distress in form of cracks in the buildings have also been observed at several locations in the walls. To assess the discrete values of strength parmaters 4-5 random tests were carried on the spot.
The test result reflect that compressive strength of concrete member is low even for general conditions and given the fact that J&K falls in seismic zone IV, the structure may not be able to sustain earthquake of higher magnitude thus can pose severe potential risk.
On Sunday a joint round was conducted by the Principal. Government Medical College, Jammu and the Director Health Services Jammu at the MCH 200-Bedded Hospital. accompanied by the Medical Superintendent, Govt Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu & staff from both GMC and Govt Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu, a detailed review was carried out regarding the immediate shifting of departments from the Old Block of Govt Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, which has been declared unsafe.
The Principal GMC Jammu issued on the spot directions to the In-charges of the MCH building and storekeepers to immediately shift all existing store stock from floors and rooms to the basement of the MCH building/SMGS Hospital.
Today all the departments from the old building were shifted to the MCH 200-Bedded Hospital floor-wise, as per the already proposed relocation plan. From Tuesday the operation theatres too will start functioning in the new building.
