Malerkotla Residents Demand Relocation of Administrative Offices from Mother and Child Hospital Wing
Locals in Malerkotla have issued a strong appeal to the Health Department, urging the immediate shifting of administrative offices out of the Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) wing at the Malerkotla Civil Hospital. They emphasize that this arrangement was intended to be temporary, yet over four years have elapsed since the district was established, with no permanent solution in sight.
Concerns Over Temporary Accommodation and Healthcare Impact
According to residents, the continued use of the MCH wing for district-level health administration has forced authorities to implement makeshift arrangements outside the premises for intensive care of mothers and newborns during emergencies. This situation, they argue, compromises the optimal utilization of infrastructure and equipment dedicated to maternal and child welfare, which aligns with government policies aimed at reducing mother and infant mortality rates (MMR and IMR).
Activists from various social organizations, led by Zora Singh Cheema, president of the National Shaheed Samaj Bhalai Trust, have raised the issue with the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC). In a communication to the PSHRC chairperson, Cheema highlighted that the Civil Hospital Malerkotla possesses its own building, doctors, and equipment, but these resources are not fully utilized due to the presence of Civil Surgeon Offices operating from the same facility.
Official Response and Equipment Issues
Dr. Sukhwinder Singh, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), acknowledged that some essential equipment, including a phototherapy system required at the MCH, has been installed in an older building within the Civil Hospital complex. He stated, "As MCH is meant for taking care of mothers and children, before and after birth, healthcare services are not affected much due to functioning of some district level office." However, he admitted that in cases where phototherapy is necessary, newborns are transferred under medical supervision to the building where the equipment is located.
Cheema expressed regret over the authorities' failure to recognize the potential risks associated with moving mothers during pre-operative and post-operative phases, as well as shifting newborns between buildings. This practice, he warned, could endanger patient safety and hinder effective healthcare delivery.
Threat of Agitation and Call for Action
The activists have threatened to launch a protest if the administrative offices are not relocated from the MCH wing promptly. They stress that the district-level health officers should now have separate premises to manage administration, ensuring that the MCH can focus solely on its intended purpose of providing comprehensive care to mothers and children.
This demand underscores broader concerns about healthcare infrastructure in Malerkotla, with residents urging authorities to prioritize the welfare of vulnerable populations by implementing policies that strengthen prenatal and postnatal care at government hospitals.
