Bhubaneswar, June 13: The Capital Hospital is yet to shift its entire mother and childcare services to the newly constructed six-storey building although chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the unit on February 16 last year.

"We have already shifted the obstetrics and gynaecology ward and are in the process of shifting the paediatric ward with the newborn care unit," said hospital superintendent Manoranjan Dash.

He said it was the delay in getting clearance from various agencies, including the Odisha Pollution Control Board, fire services and the works department, that had delayed the process and the building was yet to start functioning in a full fledged way.

The obstetrics and gynaecology as well as the paediatric wards are two of the most crowded units of the hospital. They receive about 200 patients every day on an average. Earlier, the wards were in bad shape with unplanned infrastructure. The problems persisted more in the gynaecology ward, where patients were seen lying on the ground in the absence of an adequate number of beds.

"We had built a new paediatric building in 2011-12 after the Sishu Bhavan stopped its indoor facility. Consequently, we started receiving more patients. In case of the gynaecology ward, the rush has always been there. So, we had approached the government for a new centralised facility," said a senior administrator of the hospital.

Now, the authorities are almost ready to provide state-of-the-art services in the obstetrics and gynaecology as well as the paediatric wards in the new building to ensure quality treatment.

The unit is equipped with high-standard medical facilities. It has dedicated AC and non-AC cabins with price ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 per day.

In the next phase, there are plans to shift the outdoor facilities of all departments to this building.

"The facilities are high class in the new unit. The employees have ensured cleanliness and the proposed services speak of quality treatment. I hope that the administration maintains this facility like a corporate hospital," said Ganga Nagar resident Ashok Behera, a patient's attendant here.

Besides, the unit is also equipped to fight emergencies such as fire, with installation of sprinklers and stand-by tankers. It also has a provision for free parking for visitors and employees. The authorities have provided uniforms to paramedics deputed at this facility.

"We have tried to provide a corporate hospital-kind ambience in this unit. Besides the quality infrastructure, we have increased the number of beds and staff strength," said the hospital superintendent.