Patients suffer as OT, NICU non-functional in Hisar

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, June 1

Lack of medical facilities at the 200-bed Civil Hospital here has turned it into a referral centre for patients in need of critical care. Though the hospital has adequate medical staff, poor infrastructure is adversely affecting medical services.

The operation theatre (OT) set up over two years ago is non-functional due to absence of a transformer. Similarly, the 18-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which is equipped with latest equipment, has been locked up for past several months due to shortage of medical and technical staff.

Dr Dayanand, Principal Medical Officer (PMO), said that a transformer was required to make the OT operational. “The NICU will be operational only after the AC’s are installed. Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra has released the grant to procure ACs for NICU. We hope it will get operational soon. A medical officer is also required for it,” he said.

There are 42 doctors, including 31 medical officers, three dental surgeons at the hospital. The hospital authorities said there was a shortage of staff in the gynaecology ward.

Poor infrastructure cries for attention at the hospital. The lift and the fire-fighting pipeline system installed in the two-storey building are not operational. The fire officials admitted that the fire hydrant ring pipeline was very useful in emergency situation and it was necessary to maintain it. The hospital premises, including the wards, lack general cleanliness.

Patients from Hisar and adjoining places visiting the hospital are a harassed lot. Sheila, a patient, said she had to wait in the OPD queue for two hours to see the doctor.

A staff member said that most of the patients admitted to the hospital need medical reports for police cases and patients who required medical attention had to visit private clinics.