In a big relief to people of the region, Shri Lal Bahadur Shashtri Medical College (SLBSMC) Hospital Nerchowk would resume normal functioning from February 22nd after a gap of nearly 11 months.
The hospital was designated as the state COVID hospital in April last year in the wake of pandemic and sudden spurt of COVID – 19 patients in the state to take their special care. The OPD and other facilities in the hospital were suspended for other patients to save them from catching the virus except in emergency cases.
The closing of the hospital for patients other than COVID had deprived a large number of them from seeking medical help and treatment as it caters to people of Mandi and Kullu districts and surrounding areas. After easing of restrictions from lockdown people have been demanding restoration of OPD and other facilities in the hospital and even sought intervention of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
The state government had ordered to construct an alternative building at Bhangrotu near the hospital as a COVID hospital in order to shift the COVID patients there sometime back. The completion of this building is going on war footings and likely to be ready soon.
With closure of medical facilities at SLBSMC Hospital people were rushing to Zonal Hospital Mandi where number of daily patients has increased substantially creating a huge rush.
There has been consistent fall in number of COVID cases in the state for past some time and at present no COVID-19 infected person is admitted at Nerchowk hospital. The state government has also notified BBMB Hospital Sunder Nagar for COVID patients.
Medical Superintendent of SLBSMC Hospital Dr Jiva Nand Chauhan said, ” The state government has decided to resume OPD and normal functioning of the hospital from Monday i.e. February 22nd.”
