Patients ail as AC rooms heal trainee doctors

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 31

Air-conditioned rooms were set up inside the Mother and Child Hospital (located inside the Civil Hospital) for the facility of the patients. The reality is that instead of the patients, it is the doctors under the Diplomate of National Board (DNB) training who are availing the facility of air-conditioned rooms. Out of the 16 private rooms, ten are occupied by the doctors undergoing DNB training in the gynaecological ward of the hospital. Some rooms are being used as stores and only a few rooms are left for the patients.

The rent of this room was fixed at Rs 1,000 and the hospital which is already passing through a financial crisis is paying the AC bill of these rooms, instead of earning some money.

The patients who need private rooms are left with no option. “I wanted to get my wife admitted to a private room but came to know that these were not available. I thought there was no availability due to the rush but later I came to know that these have been occupied by the doctors and some are being used as store rooms,” said Pardeep from Giaspura.

“What is the use of setting up rooms if they are not to be given to the patients,” he asked.

A hospital staff member said that wards are generally full and there is no space and when the patients ask for private rooms, they get the response in ‘negative’.

These rooms are for the facility of both the civil and MCH patients but sadly, the patients are not able to get the benefit of private rooms. “Those who can afford and don’t want to get admitted to the ward, prefer to opt for private hospital instead,” he said.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Geeta said, “We need a separate hostel for DNB doctors. I have written to the authorities also. Out of 16 rooms, 10 are occupied by the DNB doctors and we cannot get them vacated.”