Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Dec 11: After several missed deadlines, the advanced additional wing of the Bone and Joint Hospital in Barzulla, Srinagar, is now receiving its final touches and is expected to be inaugurated by the end of this month.
Officials have indicated that the funding agency and relevant authorities have pinpointed some incomplete civil works and areas needing rework before the official opening of the block.
“While the building meets all the requirements for patient care, the recently identified issues need to be resolved prior to the inauguration,” officials stated.
Constructed under the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) and funded by the World Bank, this new block employs modern technology and is engineered to be earthquake-resistant.
It will provide an additional 160 beds, significantly improving patient care with state-of-the-art systems and facilities.
Upon the new block’s operation, the hospital’s total bed capacity will rise from 150 to 310, following a fire incident in 2022 that reduced its initial capacity of 200 beds.
“Work on the identified areas is ongoing and may require a few more days. We are now in the final stages of the project,” officials mentioned, adding that a meeting set for December 17 will assess the progress.
While a definitive inauguration date has yet to be confirmed, officials expect the block to be operational by the end of the month.
Representatives from the R&B Department also confirmed readiness from their end for the additional block’s operation.
Hospital doctors have requested specific enhancements to boost the functionality of the ICU and High Dependency Unit (HDU).
“These enhancements, which were not part of the original design, have been sanctioned by the Government and funding agency, with instructions for completion by December 31,” officials noted.
Originally slated for completion in April, the additional block faced delays.
The new wing at the Bone & Joint Hospital features top-tier facilities, including modular operation theaters equipped with a Laminar Flow System, a Theatre Sterile Supply Unit, and dedicated pre- and post-operative care wards.
The introduction of 10 ICU beds, an advanced Physiotherapy Unit, and an in-house biomedical waste disposal mechanism ensures effective waste management and improved patient care.
Once the new wing is in operation, the number of operation theaters will increase from 5 to 8, greatly enhancing the hospital’s capacity and efficiency.
Additionally, the block incorporates the innovative Pneumatic Tube System, a first for hospitals in J&K, allowing for the efficient transport of medical items such as blood samples between floors.
Further upgrades include a modernized Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD), improved laundry facilities, and the installation of a Sewage and Effluent Treatment Plant.
As the only dedicated orthopedic hospital in Kashmir, the Bone & Joint Hospital caters to patients across the entire region, including Jammu and Ladakh.
