No separate wing to house isolation wards in upgraded Chicalim hospital

TEAM HERALD
VASCO: Chicalim Cottage Hospital (CCH) Health Officer Dr Vikas Kuvelkar said the upgraded Chicalim Cottage Hospital should have a separate wing to house patients with swine flu, e-bola and other contagious sickness.
Dr Kuvelkar was speaking during GSIDC’s presentation for the proposed up-gradation and extension of CCH.
Surprisingly, Dr Kuvelkar and other serving doctors were reportedly not taken into confidence before drawing up plans and the presentation. This came to light when Dr Kuvelkar and another doctor sought clarification on the rest rooms for doctors and nurses and isolation wards.
According to sources, GSIDC and the consultant company reportedly failed to invite the officials of Directorate of Health Services for the presentation to answer any queries.
When Dr Kuvelkar sought to know whether the doctors and nurses rooms will have attached washrooms and other doctor asked whether the isolation room will be in the separate wing of the proposed hospital, Arolkar said the doctors and nurses rooms will have attached washrooms, while the isolation ward will be part of the new building.
Dr Kuvelkar said many patients visit CCH due to dog bites and the proposed hospital should have separate isolation wards in another wing to avoid infection and spread of virus.
“As the airport is in close proximity to Chicalim Cottage Hospital, patients suspected with swine flu are first brought to CCH. During training seminars on e-bola and swine flu, the Health Secretary and officials had stated that the new hospital should have separate isolation wards,” said Dr Kuvelkar.
Structwell Designer and Consultant project manager Niraj Arolkar, however, maintained there is no separate wing to house isolation wards and the present plans were drawn in consultation with the Health Secretary and the officials of the health department.
Dr Kuvelkar replied saying that he will immediately write a letter to the Health Secretary and the officials of health department to create a new wing to house patients with rabies, swine flu, e-bola and other contagious sickness.
When asked whether GSIDC and Structwell Designers and Consultant Company took the doctors of CCH into confidence before drawing the plans and presentation, Dr Kuvlekar replied in the negative.
When sought to know whether any officials from the health department were present for the presentation to answer queries, the GSIDC officials and the consultants replied in the negative.