WE THE PEOPLE
Shopian District Hospital in Crisis, Lacks Diagnostic Facilities and Requisite Sanitation
Hence People Urge Govt., to Restructure its Functional Mechanism and to end Fleecing by Private Clinics
By: MNS/Makhdoomi
Srinagar: In our first Part, We highlighted the abject condition of District Hospital Shopian. There are several other lacunas about the Hospital that need to be mentioned .The drug availability in the Hospital is zero. Patients and their attendants are calling upon the authorities to at least ensure the supply of basic medicines. It is further learnt that this Hospital is facing shortage of human resources, especially the shortage of doctors.
To add to the woes of patients and their attendants only a handful of basic tests are conducted in the Shopian -district Hospital and the infrastructure for conducting complex medical tests is almost non-existent in the Hospital.
People also complain about the lack of sanitation facilities in the Hospital. The condition of bathrooms is absolutely abysmal. The Hospital also lacks direction pioins that could direct patients and their attendants to their respective treatment points.
Fayaz Shiekh, a local teacher said, “The drug availability at our Hospital is virtually nil and even basic medicines have to be purchased from private market. On account of shortage of staff, the Hospital authorities are unable to cope up with the huge flow in an efficient manner. The OPD Blocks of the Hospital are in shambles and this is really colossal as our Hospital is example of awkwardness. People have lost trust in this healthcare facility on account of poor infrastructure and management.”
Many patients and their attendants also state that in some cases even for minor complications, the patients are referred to the city Hospitals based in summer capital Srinagar.
On the other side of the spectrum, just opposite to this Hospital there are scores of private medical Clinics and Establishments probably the highest number outside any Government Hospital in the State which makes the point clear that patients are being largely kept dependent on private clinics to earn lucrative profits and fleece the poor lot.
Ironically, the crucial department like Emergency is marred by widespread chaos and offers a bleak outlook in terms of the overall facilities and the department is virtually a namesake department and offers literally nothing to patients and their attendants.
Many patients and their attendants also state that in majority of the cases even of minor complications the patients are referred to the city hospitals based in summer capital Srinagar and other healthcare facilities of South Kashmir. There are virtually no facilities for providing food and other eatery items to patients and their attendants and the masses urge for starting kitchen services in the Hospital.
Considering the pros and cons of the situation related to the function of the Shopian District Hospital; it becomes aptly clear that the Hospital presents completely disgusting picture and calls upon the stakeholders to wake-up from their slumber to change the condition of this Hospital towards betterment as the condition of this Hospital is among the worst healthcare facilities of Kashmir. The concerned authorities related to our health sector need to wake up so as to change the face of our health sector towards betterment.
Hence People Urge Govt., to restructure its Functional Mechanism and to end Fleecing of patients by Private Clinics, whose number has grown around the Hospital beyond description.
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