The gynaecology ward at VSS Medical College and Hospital. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Feb. 22: Patients, including pregnant women, have to take all the pain to climb the stairs in the three-storeyed gynaecology ward of the VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla as the building’s only lift has been lying defunct for long.

“The hospital authorities are aware of the non-functional lifts. But, they do not seem to bother to repair it,” said Chetan Goyal, a social worker and a resident of Burla.

“Carrying pregnant women in stretcher through the staircase is very risky. Other patients also find it extremely difficult to climb the stairs. Accidents may happen at any moment,” he said.

“The gynaecology ward’s operation theatre is on the first floor, while its labour room is on the ground floor. Patients have no options but to be taken to the ward through the stairs after delivery,” said Sunil Pradhan, a patient’s attendant.

“We face a lot of difficulties in carrying pregnant women upstairs. The hospital authorities should take immediate measures to repair it,” said Prashanta Sahu, another attendant. The state government claimed of making efforts to upgrade infrastructure in this medical college and hospital, but the gynaecology ward’s only lift had not been repaired for long, said another attendant.

Hospital superintendent Santosh Kumar Behera said: “The defunct lift will soon be removed and replaced by a new lift. There is a proposal to install five lifts in the hospital. Two lifts will be installed in the casualty ward, two in the orthopaedic ward and one in the gynaecology ward. Work orders for the installation of the lifts have already been issued.”