Times
of India: Gurgaon: Saturday, 19 September 2015.
Civil
Hospital lacks adequate furniture but, going by an RTI response, it has spent
more than Rs 1 crore on furniture in the past four years.
An audit
report that was attached with the RTI response affirmed that the hospital has
spent Rs 1,15,63,716 on 183 items which include two benches, 11 office tables,
10 cupboards, 22 chairs (waiting room chairs and swivel chairs). The list also
includes three wheelchairs and five water purifiers.
TOI, however,
found out that the doctors' rooms have not got any new furniture in the last
two years. Doctors confirmed that there is a shortage of chairs and hardly any
new furniture has been seen in the hospital.
"While
the cupboard in my room is 15 years old, the computer table was bought five
years ago. Only the chairs were replaced in 2013. The quality of the furniture
is not good," said a doctor, requesting anonymity. Sources told TOI that
the hospital has only 1,500 chairs, 60 office tables and about 50 wheelchairs.
Patients are usually seen sitting on the floor of the waiting room for lack of
chairs.
Activist
Aseem Takyar, who had filed the RTI application, said even though there is no
prescribed monetary ceiling for refurbishing the hospital, expenses in
government hospitals should be guided by certain standards of financial
propriety.
When
contacted, CMO Pushpa Bishnoi, denied knowledge about the transactions. She
said, "I am not aware about the expenses. I need to get this
checked."
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