Water shortage throws RIMS out of gear
Wanna visit the loo ?.....

Pay Rs 5 for a bucket!
Source: The Sangai Express / Ng Liklaileima

Imphal, October 27 2008: Notwithstanding the efforts being made to upgrade it to the status of AIIMS, shortage of water has hit hard the functioning of some of the wards of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) at Imphal, the biggest and best-equipped Government hospital in the State, causing a lot of inconveniences to the patients and their parties so much so that water is not available even if one is willing to pay Rs 10 for a bucketful.

The wards where the problem of shortage of water is being experienced acutely include ante-natal, post-natal, septic and Gynae wards of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, male and female wards of Medicine and Unit I, II, III and IV of Surgery Ward of the Surgery Department.

A Sulabh toilet lying in filth and a dried up water tank of the toilet

It is said the water shortage crisis is being experienced in the Sulabh Toilet complex of the wards in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine Dept for over one month now while it has been the case for the last 3/4 in the Surgery wards.

When The Sangai Express conducted a spot inquiry of these wards today, it was found that the water tanks kept in the Sulabh complexes have completely dried up and the toilets in complete mess.

It also found that the Tullu for drawing water to the Sulabh complexes in the wards of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine Departments has been taken to the ante-natal ward.

According to one of the staff manning the Sulabh complex of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as there is water crisis Rs 3 is being charged from a patient while Rs 5 from any of the patient parties for using the toilet.

When there was no water problem, no money was charged from the patient, though Rs 2 to 3 were charged from any of the patient parties.

When asked how the Sulabh complex is being in the light of the water crisis, the staff informed that 1000 litres of water is being purchased paying Rs 170 every day from outside the hospital atleast to meet the water requirement for those who need to use the toilet.

Bina, who has been looking after a patient admitted in the post-natal ward of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department informed that lot of inconveniences are being faced as there is no water in the ward.

''Since we have come from a far off place, we need to cook meal and wash cloths for the baby.

So we purchase 15 litres of water paying Rs 5 from inside the hospital and managing with that although the normal water requirement in a day is more'', she said.

Another woman who has been looking after a patient which had delivered a baby through CS on October 25, informed that as there is no water in the ward, all the requirement is being brought from home and all the needed washing done after taking the cloths at home.

Another female staff manning the Sulabh of Medicine Ward also informed that around 1000 litres of water is being purchased from outside paying Rs 190 every day.

However, as the water carriers sometime refused to bring the water, water from the pond is being used.

Patients of the ward informed that water is not available even if they are ready to pay Rs 10 for a bucketful.

So the question of taking bath is out of the picture.

Staff manning the Sulabh complexes in the wards of Medicine and Surgery as well as the patients and their parties have also similar complain over shortage of water supply in the wards.

When contacted in this connection, Medical Superintendent of RIMS Dr Y Mohen categorically stated that no complaint have been ever received on shortage of water from the said wards.

Dr Mohen even summoned some of the staff of the Water Management in his office to find out the matter.

There, the staff of the Water Management admitted the problem of shortage of water and explained that water is not being able to provide to the wards of Gynaecology and Medicine Department as the water pump has been out of order.

It may be noted here that though the water is being supplied by the RIMS authority, the arrangement for distribution to the patients and their parties is managed by some private individuals/organisations.

Dr Mohen further informed that the problem of water has been there in RIMS as the Dedicated Water Supply scheme installed by the Government at RIMS has not been functioning for the last 2 years.

So the hospital authority has been buying 8 to 9 water tankers of 10,000 litre capacity costing Rs 450 each every day.

Around Rs 1 lakh is being spend on purchasing water, he disclosed.

He further informed that the water pump which was being used was of lower horse power, three new water pumps of higher horse power have been procured from Guhawati recently with which water is being provided to Surgery, OT and ENT wards.