JAIPUR: A doctor and a patient were injured Monday after a large portion of OPD plaster, along with a ceiling fan, collapsed during consultation at Government Satellite Hospital, Kala Kuan, Alwar, prompting the health department to flag alleged negligence by the Public Works Department (PWD).The health department Tuesday raised the matter with the additional chief secretary, PWD, saying the incident exposed a serious safety risk to patients, doctors, nursing staff and attendants inside the hospital.Officials said the hospital’s principal medical officer had repeatedly written to the executive engineer, PWD Alwar, seeking urgent repairs, especially before the rainy season when damaged buildings face higher risks of seepage, plaster collapse and electrical hazards. Letters were sent on Aug 4, Aug 25 and Sept 4, 2025, and on Feb 24, May 18, June 8 and June 29, 2026. Despite the repeated requests, officials alleged, no effective repair work was carried out.The department said the required repair funds had also been sanctioned, but work was not started. It has now sought immediate structural repairs, a safety inspection of the building and strict action against officials responsible for the alleged delay and negligence.Principal secretary, health and medical education, Gayatri Rathore, took cognisance of the incident and sought a factual report from Alwar district collector. She also wrote to additional chief secretary, PWD, seeking urgent repairs and accountability.“The safety of patients and healthcare workers is the highest priority. The buildings of all govt hospitals in the state will be reviewed regularly, and wherever repair or structural improvement is required, time-bound action will be ensured in coordination with the concerned departments,” Rathore said.A preliminary report said the satellite hospital building was constructed in phases between 1990 and 2023 through donations and other sources. The older section had needed repairs for a long time, and the health department had repeatedly alerted the PWD about its dilapidated condition.
