Gurugram Civil Hospital grapples with space crunch, patients' influx
The Civil Hospital of Gurugram, which serves as the backbone of public health for more than three million residents, is grappling with an overwhelming influx of patients with shortage of beds and lack of proper infrastructure.
As communities increasingly rely on this hospital for lifesaving interventions, the strain on its operations raises a critical question about the sustainability of healthcare services.
On an average, 3,000 patients visit the hospital daily for the treatment of various ailments. Each of the specialist doctors check more than 200 patients daily, which reflects the challenging task being faced by them.
Principal Medical Officer Dr Jai Mala says they have a total strength of 200 beds, including the intensive care unit, but, at times, the admissions cross 300 patients. "It becomes extremely difficult for us to handle such situations," she adds.
New building near completion
A new five-storey building adjoining the present hospital premises is near completion. The tender for the construction of an ICU and an operation theatre on the fifth floor has been awarded, and it will be completed in the next 4-5 months. There will be no shortage of space.
Dr Virender Yadav, Chief Medical Officer
Sometimes, two patients, particularly children, are adjusted on a single bed. And, the time period of admissions are reduced for discharge to admit new patients, she says. "We are grappling with unprecedented challenges, primarily marked by an alarming shortage of beds," she further says.
This shortage is not merely a statistic; it translates to real human stories — patients waiting in corridors, families anxious about the availability of care, and healthcare workers trying to manage overwhelming demand and stretched beyond their limits, juggling multiple patients and tasks.
The government district hospital facing the dual crises of bed shortage and rising patient demands, the deployment of doctors to other stations on deputation has also emerged as a critical yet contentious issue. The decision to temporarily send medical personnel to different locations often stems the pressing need to respond to the 'emergency' times like the ongoing crisis of air pollution, which has increased the influx of patients to the hospital.
A senior doctor posted in the district hospital, on the condition of anonymity, revealed that during these days of air pollution crisis, he checks more than 200 patients in the OPD daily. This affects the quality of care patients receive amidst the huge rush. Long hours of work for the doctors, often extending well beyond the recommended shifts, have become the norm. Staff members are frequently met with an overwhelming influx of patients, each requiring urgent care and attention.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Virender Yadav claimed that there was no shortage of doctors in the district hospital. "In fact, we have surplus staff available with us. We have 56 medical officers as against the sanctioned strength of 55 doctors. We have four dental surgeons as against the sanctioned strength of three dental surgeons. In such a situation, the temporary deployments of doctors for one day in a week on another station doesn't matter for us," he claimed.
Moreover, the district hospital has six PG students of gynaecology, family medicine and eye care who also work equally during their studies. He further claimed that the paramedical staff is also more than the sanctioned strength hired through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam.
He says, "We also have the facilities of MRI/city scan, ultrasound, dialysis, X-ray and almost all vital laboratory tests; besides, the availability of all essential drugs".
As far as the shortage of space is concerned, Dr Yadav said a new 5-storey building adjoining the present hospital premises is near completion. The tender for construction of an ICU and an operation theatre on the 5th floor has been awarded and it will be completed in the next 4-5 months. Then, there will be no shortage of space", he added.
