Anantnag’s maternity hospital continues to function from unsafe structure

Anantnag, Apr 10: The maternity hospital in Anantnag, a key healthcare facility catering to patients from across south Kashmir as well as parts of Ramban and the Chenab Valley, continues to operate from a building deemed unsafe for over a decade, raising serious safety and infrastructure concerns.
Officials said that the hospital witnesses heavy patient inflow daily, with nearly 100 patients admitted in labour and surgical wards every night. In addition, the Out-Patient Department (OPD) records thousands of visits each day.
Despite the overwhelming demand, the facility is limited to just two labour wards and four surgical wards, along with a single operation theatre.
The acute shortage of space has led to overcrowding, with multiple patients often sharing beds. The hospital environment remains congested and chaotic, making it difficult for patients and attendants to move freely within the premises.
An official said the current building was declared unsafe by the Fire and Emergency Services department nearly 12 years ago. Concerns have repeatedly been raised about the potential risks, with officials questioning accountability in case of any untoward incident.
“Following the declaration, there were initial plans to relocate the hospital to the Janglat Mandi. However, the decision was reversed within a day due to external pressures. Later, the government proposed shifting the facility to the Rehmat-e-Alam Trust building in Sarnal,” he said.
Although around Rs 13 crore were spent on constructing two additional floors, the plan was eventually shelved after the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu found the structure non-compliant with post-2005 earthquake safety norms.
Experts had suggested retrofitting and strengthening the building’s core structure at an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore. However, the proposal was not pursued, leaving the hospital to continue functioning in the same unsafe and overcrowded conditions.
Data indicates that the hospital caters to over 50,000 OPD patients and around 10,000 indoor patients every month, with many travelling from remote areas of South Kashmir and even parts of Jammu division.
In a partial step towards decongestion, the paediatrics section was shifted last year to the associated hospital of Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag at Janglat Mandi. Officials said that efforts are underway to relocate the gynaecology and obstetrics sections as well
Meanwhile, the government has sanctioned a 250-bedded Maternity and Child Care Hospital at Janglat Mandi, and work on the project is expected to commence soon. However, until the full relocation is completed, the existing situation continues to pose significant challenges for both patients and healthcare staff. (KNO)