Kids sweat it out at PGI Paediatrics ward

CHANDIGARH, June 10: Lying sick in a hospital bed is bad enough for children and if it's the paediatrics ward of the PGI, the heat makes it ...

CHANDIGARH, June 10: Lying sick in a hospital bed is bad enough for children and if it8217;s the paediatrics ward of the PGI, the heat makes it hell. Patients admitted in this ward are finding it difficult to cope with the heat, especially during the daytime.

The Advanced Paediatrics Centre at the PGI, which was constructed with the idea of making it centrally air-conditioned, at present only has fans and coolers.

8220; Due to lack of funds, the air conditioning system could not be installed at the time of construction,8221; says PGI medical superintendent, Dr A. K. Gupta.

Father of eight-year old Nandini says: quot;I had come to PGI a week back when my daughter had an attack of brain tuberculosis. She is unconscious ever since and we are worried about her, as the heat is unbearable even for us. We hang blankets to keep the sun rays from hitting her. quot;

quot;But the worst is when there is a power cut, we are not even allowed to put our own cooler,quot; he says.

Eleven-year old Neeraj, who came to the PGI with high fever, prefers to remain outside the ward, to escape the heat. quot;In the evening he goes out in the ground to sleep and then we take him back to the ward,quot; says his father.

Says Medical Superintendent A.K.Gupta, quot;I have no objections, if the patients want to get their own coolers. But nobody has come to me with such a request so far. As soon as I get an application from the Engineering Department, I will place the order for purchase of coolers.quot;

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B.S. Babbar, was admitted to the male medical ward a few days back with some unidentified fever. He says, quot; My joints pain whenever it gets hot during the day. The power cuts have become very frequent over the past few days.quot;

PGI superintending hospital engineer V.K. Bhardwaj says: quot;The summer always comes with power cuts. We are receiving power supply from three feeders. But it is not enough.

quot;quot; We are working on a project to install 66 K V substation in the campus. The project which would cost about Rs 4 to 5 crore would be completed in a couple of years.quot;

quot;But we have ensured that the emergency services like operation theatres, Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Care Unit and emergency are not affected at any cost. We have three diesel generator sets, in case there is a power cut,quot; says Bhardwaj.