Samba hospital grapples with shortage of basic facilities, staff

Vishal Jasrotia

Samba, April 17

Despite being one of the main healthcare centres in the district, the Samba District Hospital lacks adequate staff, doctors and basic amenities, causing great inconvenience to people.

After being given the district status, the Samba hospital is catering to the medical needs of over 3 lakh patients every year. Around 700 to 800 patients visit its out-patient department daily.

The hospital was upgraded to the District Hospital at a cost of Rs 11.80 crore in 2010. The new hospital complex was inaugurated in November, 2013. Locals claimed that though the hospital was upgraded, the facilities remained of the sub-district centre level only.

“Nearly five years have passed since the hospital was upgraded, but the staff has remained the same. The shortage of doctors and staff has forced us to visit other hospitals at Jammu for treatment,” said Anu Devi, a resident of Ward No. 13 in Samba.

Apart from this, the hospital lacks basic facilities. There is no provision of clean drinking water for patients at the hospital. There were no water purifiers and even the water coolers installed on the hospital premises were lying defunct, she said.

Another local resident Nidhi Sambyal, said, “The patients cannot avail of X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan and other facilities at the hospital due to the shortage of technical staff. The patients, who are advised these tests by doctors, are compelled to get these done from outside at high rates. During emergencies, the patients are left with no other option but to move to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, or rely on private clinics.”

“Most equipment has been lying idle at the hospital since its inauguration. We do not need only buildings and machines, it’s the employees who manage these things are required. All promises are absolutely worthless if the authorities cannot appoint required staff and doctors to take care of patients,” said Rajeev Singh, a resident of Sangwali Mandi.

“The shortage of doctors and technical staff has been highlighted many times. Even Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was apprised about the problem when she held ‘’Janata darbar’ in Samba, but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. We urge the authorities to look into the matter and provide better healthcare facilities at the hospital,” he said.