WE THE PEOPLE
Bandipora District Hospital in Shambles, Lacks services of Specialists, Lacks Drugs, and Lacks Sanitation
Hence People urge Govt., to depute ENT Specialists, Pediatricians and Orthopedics to provide treatment to Patients
By: MNS/Makhdoomi
Srinagar: In continuation to our Survey of Health-care facilities available in Kashmir valley, we took stock of the Hospital located at Bandipora. It may be stated that Bandipora district is one of the newly carved district of the State located in northern Kashmir.. Bandipora town is the administrative headquarters of the district. This district was carved out from the erstwhile Baramulla district in 2007.
The district is bounded by Kupwara district in the west, Baramulla district in the south and Kargil, Srinagar and Ganderbal districts in the east. This district occupies an area of 398 km⮠The district has population of more than half million humans, where the Hospital is the largest healthcare facility in the district.
The construction work on new building of the District Hospital hadn’t been initiated yet despite assurances from the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah. 14 Kanals of land has been identified and accepted by the government at Main Town and proposal for the construction of the Hospital, but the work on the project hasn’t been started as yet.
Pertinently, the CM’s first Awami Durbar was held in Bandipora wherein he assured people of giving a new facelift to the district and developing its infrastructure. But nothing substantial has been done so far.
A look into the health facility makes one dejected and many locals state that this Hospital is a dead wood. The Emergency Department, according to patients and their attendants, is namesake departments as most of the cases of emergency nature are referred to Srinagar City Hospitals.
According to reliable sources, the latest machinery of the Hospital worth lakhs is also out of use as the hospital doesn’t have any trained person for the job. Sources also reveal that the hospital doesn’t have services of vital doctors like ENT, Paediatrician, and Orthopaedics and lacks even the functional blood bank. Sanitation and cleanness related facilities are also below standard. The overall drug availability in the hospital is also quite poor.
Hilal Ahmad Lone a patient attendant said, “The Bandipora District hospital does not present much of optimism and the hospital is marred by rampant chaos and lacks manpower and required infrastructure. The overall scenario related to sanitation and cleanliness is also quite bleak. Bathrooms are presenting a filthy outlook and the overall drug facility in the hospital is also very poor. The hospital definitely craves for attention from the concerned stakeholders and direly demands a facelift.”
On account of lack of residential quarters a very small number of doctors are present in the hospital during the night hours which adds to the miseries of patients and their attendants.
Favoritism is also very much prevalent in the hospital. “I had to put in lot of influence factor for getting at least satisfying treatment in this hospital. I wonder what would be the plight of those who have no influence and this hospital is virtually a dead facility from the point of view of overall infrastructure and manpower. One can without doubt say that this hospital is a dead facility and craves for required attention from the authorities,” said an officer of the district while pleading anonymity.
On the other hand, the patients visiting the District Hospital are also complaining about non-availability of specialists. Following which the patients suffering from different diseases have to visit city hospitals and private clinics for treatment. Patients and their attendants also state that the hospital also receives erratic power and water supply as a result of which the attendants have to get the water from home for patients.
Unarguably, the hospital is in shambles and demands requisite attention from the authorities. The hospital is clearly the representative of the abject condition of our health sector, especially the rural health sector.
Hence People urge Govt., to depute ENT Specialists, Pediatricians and Orthopedics to provide treatment to Patients, who are forced to move from pillar to post in the city of Srinagar. Some of the patients lack resources to meet emergent charges and in the process reportedly lose precious lives.
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