WE THE PEOPLE
Despite Handwara District Hospital Being Vibrant, Still needs Strengthening, Restructuring
Hence People Demand Official Attention to turn it Responsive to Patients
By: MNS/ Makhdoomi
Srinagar: In our first series on the Handwara District Hospital, we focused on the positive facets of the hospital. There is also other side of the spectrum in the Handwara District Hospital which is marred by negativity and deserves attention. It is worth pointing out here that the said hospital is supposed to cater to the healthcare needs of lacs of people of this backward and border district.
The Handwara District Hospital has a bed strength of about 60 beds which according to the patients, attendants and general masses of the area fails to meet the desired expectations. The drug availability in the hospital according to patients and their attendants is very much limited and deserves to be enhanced. The biggest disappointing facet about the function of the Handwara District Hospital is the lack of cleanness and sanitation in the said hospital. As soon one enters this hospital, unclean corridors and unclean patient wards welcome the gaze .The bathrooms in the hospital are also quiet unclean.
The In Patient Department and Emergency Block of the Hospital is flooded by patient attendants and there seems to be no mechanism to control the flow of the people to these wards. This veracity adds to the risk of getting infection to everyone from doctor to patient attendant. It is quiet shameful to note that any one at his will can enter or leave the Out Patient Department (OPD) without any effective check from the concerned authorities.
On the other side of the mirror, the Out Patient Department of the Handwara District Hospital is marred by chaos and commotion. A swarm of patients can be seen flooding the hospital OPD and waiting for long intervals of time for their respective treatment turn.
Patients and their attendants also allege that favouritism is rampant in the said hospital as according to them one who has the "Influence factor" gets more attention and better attention while those without any sort of influence have to struggle a lot in getting the desired treatment.
Asadullah Khan,a patient attendant said, "The influence factor is rampant in this hospital. I am struggling to get my patient proper attention as I have no influence. The drug availability in the hospital is quiet limited. The cleanness and sanitation related facets of this hospital are quiet unimpressive and nothing is done to regulate the flow of attendants or visitors to the IPD ward".
While talking to the correspondent of mirror of Kashmir, DR.Lone, Medical Superintendent of the Handwara District Hospital said, "We have adequate drug availability in the hospital barring few drugs we have adequate stock of drugs. The patient attendants are responsible for lack of cleanness in this hospital as a patient is followed by large number of attendants. We had as a matter of fact started the ticketing system for Patient attendants wanting to visit the IPD, but the said step was met with lot of resentment. We definitely need an increased bed strength and augmentation of other facets to keep up the good work that we have been doing from several years. We have the honour of holding several complex surgeries here in the Handwara District Hospital."
The Handwara District Hospital at the present juncture of time is presenting a mixed picture of hope and despair and one hopes that with a bit more serious interest this hospital; has the potential to achieve desired excellence. .............................................................................................................(Concluded)
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