Filthy floors, littered waiting area leave GMCH-32 ailing
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Chandigarh: The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, is under fire after its OPD waiting area and corridors were found strewn with garbage, raising serious questions about hygiene and cleanliness in one of the city's busiest healthcare facilities.
Broken water bottles, paper plates, juice tetra packs, and polythene waste littered the waiting area, giving the entire OPD complex an unhygienic appearance. Patients and attendants were seen waiting in discomfort, with chairs surrounded by trash and a persistent foul smell emanating from blocked washroom drains and washing areas.
A visit to the hospital on Wednesday revealed that sanitation in key areas of the hospital has taken a serious hit.
The condition of washrooms, in particular, was deplorable, with overflowing sewerage and blocked drains making them unusable for many patients.
Jeevan Kumar, a patient who visited the OPD for a check-up, expressed shock at the state of the premises. "The waiting area was full of filth. Chairs installed for patients were surrounded by used bottles, juice packs, and other garbage. How can a hospital, which is supposed to promote health and healing, be in such a filthy condition?" he questioned.
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Social activists and political leaders also raised the alarm. Local BJP leader and social activist Shashi Shankar Tiwari said, "It is disheartening to see the hospital in such a state, especially as we approach the monsoon and potential resurgence of infections. The sanitation standards are abysmal—it feels like we are back in the COVID era. The hospital waiting area gives a grim picture of neglect and administrative apathy.
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"Hospitals must lead by example when it comes to hygiene. What message are we sending when one of our top medical institutes is drowning in garbage?" said a health rights activist.
GMCH-32 medical superintendent Dr Gurvinder Singh acknowledged the issue and assured prompt action. "I will get the area checked and ensure that the garbage is cleaned immediately. We will also pull up the sanitation staff for negligence," he said.
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Patients forced to pay in cash
The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has come under criticism yet again—this time for its failure to accept online payments. Patients visiting the hospital are being forced to make payments in cash at billing counters, leading to inconvenience and allegations of petty overcharging due to unavailability of change.
According to complaints, the staff at payment windows are not accepting card-based transactions and insist on cash payments.
Several patients have reported being made to run around in search of change, with some even giving up small excess amounts at the counters.
A patient visiting the ENT department recounted his ordeal. "The payment clerks made me run for around 20 minutes arranging for change to make a payment. Eventually, I managed to get change from a security guard. I also witnessed some patients ahead of me in line forgoing Rs 10 or Rs 20 just because they didn't have exact change and the staff refused to return the difference," he said.
The absence of Point of Sale (PoS) machines at payment windows has raised eyebrows, with some patients questioning whether the situation is being deliberately misused. "When the hospital can adopt digital methods in recordkeeping and diagnostics, why can't basic payment systems be digitised?" questioned a relative of a patient in the medicine OPD.
GMCH-32 Medical Superintendent Dr. Gurvinder Singh said, "This cannot be considered a routine practice. It is possible that PoS machines were not working due to technical issues or server problems. We will have to check the situation and get back with appropriate measures."
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