Hooghly, 13 August (H.S.): Government quarters meant for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at South Narayanpur Rural Hospital in Arambagh have reportedly fallen into a state of disrepair due to prolonged lack of maintenance. Several quarters on the hospital premises have become virtually uninhabitable and now resemble abandoned buildings.

Dense vegetation and bushes have grown around almost all the quarters. Large trees and creepers have spread across some rooftops, while weeds have reportedly entered rooms through windows. With cleaning and maintenance neglected for a long period, large portions of the premises have taken on the appearance of an overgrown jungle.

The buildings have also suffered extensive damage. Wooden sections of windows have reportedly been affected by termites, while iron grills have rusted and deteriorated. Plaster and portions of walls are crumbling at several places. The condition of the roofs and walls has also raised concerns about the possibility of further structural damage.

The surroundings have reportedly also seen an increase in snakes, insects and mosquitoes. The overgrown vegetation and unhygienic conditions have made the quarters unsuitable for healthcare workers, raising concerns about both their safety and health.

According to information available, the hospital has eight staff quarters, some of which are currently occupied by hospital drivers and Group-D employees. However, most doctors and nurses reportedly prefer not to stay there, forcing several healthcare workers to commute from outside the hospital premises.

Local residents have stressed that proper residential facilities for doctors and nurses are particularly important at rural hospitals. If healthcare workers stay within or close to the hospital premises, they can respond more quickly to emergencies, especially during night hours.

South Narayanpur Rural Hospital caters to people from several villages across at least three panchayat areas. Residents therefore believe that improving staff accommodation is as important as strengthening the hospital's medical infrastructure.

While the government has been emphasising the strengthening of rural healthcare infrastructure, local residents have questioned how the objective can be achieved if old and dilapidated staff quarters are not renovated or rebuilt.

A section of local residents and hospital employees has demanded an immediate inspection of the quarters and necessary repairs. They have also suggested that buildings found to be unsafe should be demolished and replaced with modern, secure and adequately equipped accommodation.

Residents said that providing doctors and nurses with safe and habitable accommodation close to the hospital would enable them to respond more quickly to emergencies and could improve the overall quality of healthcare services.

According to sources, the new government is working on a project to strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure by developing modern staff quarters at block-level hospitals. Local residents hope that effective implementation of the initiative will help address the accommodation problems faced by doctors and healthcare workers at hospitals such as South Narayanpur.

Residents have urged the authorities to urgently restore the dilapidated quarters and transform them from their present abandoned state into safe, clean and modern accommodation for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey