Shimla, April 12
The storm over the proposed shifting of Kamla Nehru Hospital (KNH) has now reached boiling point, with the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) announcing a protest at the hospital premises on Tuesday, turning the issue into a full-blown public movement.
The protest call comes in the wake of the Himbumail expose, which blew the lid off the government’s move to shift the Gynaecology OPD to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC)—a decision now being slammed as a “senseless destruction of a century-old institution.”
“Not just a hospital, it’s motherhood itself”
At the heart of the outrage is what KNH represents. Established in 1924 as Lady Reading Hospital, this is not merely a healthcare facility—it is where generations of Himachali families have witnessed birth, hope, and survival.
For lakhs across the state, KNH is inseparable from motherhood and childhood itself.
“Destroying or fragmenting this institution is not administrative reform—it’s an emotional rupture,” said activists backing the protest.
Himbumail expose triggers public backlash
The controversy erupted after Himbumail reported the quiet move to shift key services out of KNH, raising red flags over the future of the state’s only dedicated mother and child hospital.
Since then, anger has spilled onto the streets, with citizens, patients, and health workers questioning the logic of dismantling a fully functional, specialised facility.
“Thoughtless plan will choke IGMC”
Opposition to the move has been sharp and direct. CPM leader Sanjay Chauhan has already written to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, calling the proposal a “thoughtless and destructive plan.”
Critics argue that shifting hundreds of daily patients to IGMC will:
Overburden an already congested campus
Disrupt specialised maternal healthcare. Increase hardship for women, especially from rural belts
They also warn that such a move goes against norms laid down by the World Health Organization for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) facilities.
A lifeline built over a century
KNH today handles 300–400 patients daily, 300-bed capacity, Critical services in obstetrics, gynaecology, prenatal and postnatal care.
It has also seen continuous public investment, including a ₹22 crore expansion with modern OPD, operation theatres, and labs. A third phase of advanced development is already on the table.
“This is a hospital that has grown brick by brick with public money and trust. Why dismantle it now?” questioned a senior health worker.
Protest to test government’s resolve
Tuesday’s protest by AIDWA is expected to draw large participation from women, activists, and civil society groups, marking the first organised show of resistance on the ground.
The message is blunt: Don’t tamper with a system that works—especially when it safeguards mothers and newborns.
With emotions running high and the Himbumail expose fuelling a growing backlash, the KNH issue is no longer just about shifting an OPD—it has become a symbol of resistance against what many see as reckless tampering with a legacy that defines care, birth, and belonging in Himachal.
#SaveKNH #ShimlaProtest #AIDWA #HealthcareCrisis #HimachalNews
