A TB hospital running to seed…

Lokapriya Gopith Bordoloi TB Hospital pulling along with just cough syrup, liver syrup and antacid; stinking wards, broken beds and patients buying even syringes tell its sorry tale

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 31: The best example of neglect of the State’s health care system is evident from the dilapidated condition of the Lokapriya Gopith Bordoloi Tuberculosis Hospital at Birubari’s Gopith gar in the city.

The hospital was constructed in 1950 and iugurated by former chief minister Late Bishnuram Medhi on January 30, 1954. The TB Hospital was the first-of-its-kind in the State. There was a time when the hospital used to get patients from all over the State, but the number of patients has drastically fallen due to the absolute lack of facilities including cabins, medicines and sufficient manpower. The unhygienic condition of the hospital is a total turnoff for any patient.

The previous Tarun Gogoi-led State government took a decision to reconstruct the hospital only after the hospital authority raised voice against its appalling condition, but the decision remained on paper. No renovation works have been carried out till now.

A visit to the hospital by this reporter revealed how an important healthcare institution can go to the dogs. The whole building is in utterly bad shape; some of its portions are nearly giving way.

A patient currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, on the condition of anonymity, told this reporter about the shortage of water, food, beds and mainly medicines. The condition of the female ward is abomible. The 250-bedded hospital has four wards - General Ward, Dot Plus Ward, Cottage Ward and Female Ward. Out of 250 beds in the hospital, 79 beds are completely broken down and not in use.  

The road that leads to the main block of the hospital itself is in bad shape. There is lack of proper fencing and security arrangements to protect patients and staff of the hospital from miscreants who can enter its premises freely.

A well equipped laboratory is a must for any hospital, but Lokapriya Gopith Bordoloi Tuberculosis Hospital has no lab. As a result, no other tests, except ELISA or EIA test for detecting whether the patient is HIV infected or not, can be done in the hospital. Patients admitted in the hospital have to spend a considerable sum of money for different tests in private labs in the city.

Acute shortage of life saving drugs in the hospital is a nightmare for patients admitted there. Only three types of medicines - cough syrup, liver syrup and antacid - are being supplied to the hospital, which are not at all sufficient for a hospital supposed to treat a dreaded disease like TB. Last but not least, patients need to buy syringes as even these are not being supplied to the hospital.