|| K.LEADER DESK
The maternity and child hospital Anantnag is in shamblescraving for the official attention since years. Instead of ending the woes of the patients, the state authorities have turned blind eye towards such severe crises on ground. Located in Sherbagh area of the district, the hospital building has been declared unsafe by the Fire and Emergency Services authorities in their safety audit report few years back. Due to the space crunch in the hospital the labour and surgical wards having the capacity of seven or eight beds are huddled with 18 to 20 beds, choking the admitted patients. Consequently, doctors on the pretext of shortage of space and beds refer almost all the expecting women brought to the hospital after 4 pm to Srinagar thus delaying treatment to them.
The hospital building has been declared unsafe by the Fire and Emergency Services authorities in their safety audit report few years back. Due to the space crunch in the hospital the labour and surgical wards having the capacity of seven or eight beds are huddled with 18 to 20 beds, choking the admitted patients.
A doctor posted in the hospital said that it is not only the patients who suffer due to the space crunch in the hospital but doctors also have to bear the brunt at times. “When any emergency case is brought to the hospital and there is no bed available, the attendants just go berserk and thrash the doctors and para-medics on duty,” he said. Though the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Anantnag in January last year began the process of shifting the hospital to old district hospital building located in Janglatmundi area but insiders and locals allege that the political intervention stalled the move.
“The people had appreciated shifting of the hospital but some people running medical and other shops in Sherbagh locality for their monetary benefits got the move stalled. Such was the political pressure that CMO had to overnight bring back all the equipment to the old building”, an insider said. Mubashir Ahmad, a local resident described it ironical that the authorities are not taking any measures for shifting the hospital. Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Sameer Matoo admitted that the maternity hospital is in an inappropriate building but added that there was no deliberate delay caused in shifting the same. “We are seriously working on where to shift the hospital as we have two options available. The hospital has to be shifted from its present location very soon,” Mattoo said.
The people had appreciated shifting of the hospital but some people running medical and other shops in Sherbagh locality for their monetary benefits got the move stalled. Such was the political pressure that CMO had to overnight bring back all the equipment to the old building.