Osmania General Hospital staff demand construction of new building

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 22 : The staff of Osmania General Hospital (OGH) in Hyderabad staged a protest in support of their demand for demolition of the hospital building and construction of a new one.
Speaking to ANI, Prathiba Lakshmi, Assistant Professor of General Medicine at OGH, said that they were fighting for the demolition of the century-old heritage building and the construction of a new facility.
"It is not safe for patients who come here for treatment. This hospital is about a century old and needs serious renovation. Its demolition should not have been stopped. Many people, especially the poor, will be greatly benefited with the construction of a new hospital. Its replacement should not be opposed," Lakshmi said.
"OGH was constructed many years ago by the Nizam to help the poor and needy. The heritage hospital will serve its purpose only if it is revamped. A new building will do justice to the Nizam's cause. We will continue to fight till a new hospital is constructed," she said.
A staff member of the Osmania General Hospital said, "The hospital is not in a proper condition and should be demolished. In 2015, the chief minister promised that it would be taken down and a new hospital would be built in its place. He should fulfil the promise that he made to the people. The important parts of the heritage hospital should be kept in a museum to preserve the memory of the Nizam. There are nearly 25 acres of land. A good hospital should be constructed."
In the last 10 days, the state-run hospital was flooded with water twice, following heavy rainfall in the state. Staff and patients were seen wading in knee-deep sewage and rainwater.
Telangana Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cinematography Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Friday said that Chief Minister KC Rao had planned to renovate the Osmania General Hospital way back in 2015 but opposition parties stalled the work by approaching the court and obtaining a stay order.