GMCH medicine stock lost in blaze, shortage hits hospital
Vikram Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, March 1
A fire at the medical store of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, on February 20 has caused shortage of medicines at the health institution.
The fire damaged almost all medical records and stock of medicines.
The authorities at the hospital confirmed that there was an acute shortage of medicines at the hospital.
“Yes, there has been a shortage of medicine and other supplies after the fire. We are managing and getting supplies from all sources,” said Dr Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, storeroom in charge, GMCH.
He, however, said the actual assessment of the damage could be ascertained by the Principal, GMCH, Dr Sunanda Raina. Raina was not available for comment.
As the situation on the Indo-Pak border is tense and essential services have been kept on an alert, the shortage of medicines in the premier hospital of Jammu city has become a cause for concern.
A day ago, keeping in view the developments, the government established a control room at the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu, to monitor any exigency or untoward incident.
Deputy Director of the directorate Girish Chander Gupta, who is also the head of the control room, said all logistics had put in place for immediate supply of health facilities to people in all districts of the Jammu region. He said Government Medical College and Hospital was out of the ambit of the directorate.
“The control room is for the tehsils and districts of the Jammu region, but Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, does not fall within our jurisdiction,” said Gupta.
He said sufficient medicine and health care facilities had been put in place along with all logistics so that healthcare facilities would reach every patient even in far-off place.
After the fire broke out in the medical stores of the GMCH, Adviser K Vijay Kumar had asked the Crime Branch of the police to investigate the incident.
The Director General, fire and emergency department, had also visited the GMCH’s store and inquired about reasons for the fire. This is the second fire incident in the GMCH store in the past two years.
Now, Jammu hospitals to paint red-cross sign
While the authorities recently issued orders in the Valley to paint red-cross sign on the rooftops of all hospital buildings, Director, Health Services, Jammu, Sameer Mattoo had said no such order was received for Jammu. The administration, however, on Friday issued a similar order for Jammu district after which a red-cross sign was painted on the rooftop of the GMCH.
