Structural Safety Risks at Government Hospitals in Ernakulam Raise Concerns

Speedy summary

• Unsafe buildings remain a concern in Ernakulam’s government hospitals, wiht 41 structures identified for demolition by the Health Department.
• These unsafe structures are predominantly at primary health centres (PHCs), district hospitals, and taluk hospitals; three precarious buildings exist within the General Hospital.
• The process of declaring buildings unfit, estimating demolition costs, and obtaining government approval has stalled progress. For example, at the General Hospital, demolition estimates from the Public Works Department are still awaited.
• A fatal accident on July 3 at Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital highlighted risks when a decades-old building collapsed, killing a 52-year-old man.
• Doctors stated delays in demolishing unsafe structures hinder efforts to construct new facilities using development funds allocated by mps.
• Opposition accused government apathy in addressing these hazards, warning of repeated tragedies akin to Kottayam’s incident. Official responses from relevant authorities were unavailable.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The delay in demolishing unsafe hospital infrastructure raises important concerns about public safety and administrative bottlenecks. With processes stuck at various bureaucratic stages such as cost estimation and approvals, priority actions appear absent despite serious risks demonstrated by recent disasters like the Kottayam building collapse.

This issue doesn’t just threaten lives but also impedes healthcare upgrades; newly planned construction projects remain in limbo due to lingering old structures. Efficient interdepartmental coordination-especially between Health Departments and Public Works authorities-could mitigate delays.

For Ernakulam specifically (as it hosts more hazardous hospital structure zones than any other district), ensuring rapid progress on safety measures not only preserves public trust but could also prevent further tragic incidents while enabling better services through modernized healthcare infrastructure.

—
Read More: Published – July 11, 2025