Installation of infrastructure in government medical colleges and other hospitals for safety and security of healthcare staff and doctors would be completed by the end of October, state government officials said on Saturday.
Work is slow at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital because the state needs permission from the CBI to start work, the officials said.
A status report prepared by the state health department showed the installation of infrastructure like separate duty rooms for male and female doctors, washrooms, lights and CCTVs is “49 per cent to 26 per cent” complete till now.
Health department officials said the government had fast-tracked tender processes and they were working on an “emergency basis” to finish the work. However, they said, the flood situation in several districts has also led to a slowdown of work in some cases.
The state government is scheduled to submit the status report to the Supreme Court, sources said.
The junior doctors were on a 42-day cease-work from August 9 and some of their main demands were installation of infrastructure for better work environment and enhanced safety and security for healthcare staff in government hospitals.
“Work for all the sanctioned projects to install and upgrade infrastructure has started. To expedite work, the state government has given permission for short tender,” a health department official said. Usually, a tender is finalised in 21 days but in this case, it is being done in three days, he said.
At RG Kar, 71 more duty rooms are being constructed.
“Tender matured. The principal sought approval from the investigating agency (CBI) to commence work,” the report mentioned. The work would be completed by October 31, it said.
There would be 45 washrooms installed and work has been sanctioned for all. However, for this too, approval has been sought from the CBI.
Work to install 250 lights and 575 CCTVs has started, the report said. In case of CCTVs, 45 per cent work has been completed while 40 per cent lights have been installed, the report said.
“There are areas inside RG Kar for which we need permission from the CBI to access because they are investigating the case,” said a health official.
Sources said the investigating agency is finalising the procedure for approval.
At government medical colleges, 1,457 duty rooms for doctors are being either constructed or repaired, the report said. There are 2,453 existing duty rooms. There are 11,093 existing CCTVs and 10,249 will be installed, it said.
“The progress of work would have been faster but the flood situation in the state is causing problems in the supply of workers. Also, the district magistrates and other officials are involved in the relief work,” said a health official. “In some cases, 49 per cent work and in some 26 per cent has been completed.”
The junior doctors recently wrote to chief secretary Manoj Pant alleging they did not see any work in progress.
They had rejoined duties after Pant wrote a letter to the health secretary directing him to implement measures for safety at government hospitals.
“After our last meeting with the chief secretary, we did not see any process to implement the written directives we secured..., except for a few isolated examples... We want to make it clear to the state government that if it continues to approach the issues... with such a nonchalant attitude, we will be compelled to intensify our movement,” a statement from the junior doctors earlier this week said.
