Mother and child hospital in Chikodi faces severe water crisis

Belagavi: The 100-bed Mother and Child Hospital on the outskirts of Chikodi, inaugurated just last year, is facing an acute water shortage even before summer begins. For the past 15 days, patients and their attendants have been struggling without adequate water supply, while the hospital administration found it difficult to manage day-to-day operations. Water is being supplied through tankers to keep the facility functioning.Women from Nippani, Hukkeri, Raibag, Kagawad, Chikodi, Athani and Mudalagi taluks of Chikodi division relied on this hospital for treatment. Those admitted to the hospital faced many problems due to lack of water.According to officials of health and family welfare, the groundwater level dropped to a depth of more than 700 feet, and at present, there is no water in the borewell. However, water is supplied to the hospital through tankers so that pregnant and lactating mothers and babies do not face any water problems.Chandrakant Hukkeri, a social worker from Chikodi, said that last year, there was no water in the borewell even in Dec. Even then, the water problem in the hospital was severe. The root cause of the problem is that health department officials did not make alternative arrangements when they came to repair the borewell.The hospital staff said that currently, lactating mothers, pregnant women and staff struggled without enough water to use. This also posed a challenge to cleanliness.Outpatients said, "I was admitted to the hospital for my wife's delivery for the last 3 days. We are suffering because there is no water in the hospital. The hospital staff are not allowed to use water."More than 60 women are admitted to the hospital for treatment every day. In the month of January, 108 deliveries were observed here. Out of these, 54 were natural deliveries and 26 were caesarean sections. The number of deliveries is increasing every month, but the water shortage remains unresolved.Dr Mahesh Nagarbetta, chief medical officer of the hospital, said that water is being supplied to the hospital through tankers. The problem will be resolved as soon as possible, he added.Dr SS Gaded, additional district health officer (ADHO), said that it is true that the hospital is facing a drinking water problem due to borewell repairs. This issue will be addressed soon. Steps will be taken to resolve the hospital's issues permanently, including the water problem, he said.