Govt Rajindra Hospital sans paracetamol, thermometer

Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, May 24

Government Rajindra Hospital, a tertiary healthcare institute, was found wanting in even basic medicines and medical material, including gloves and syringes. 

The matter came to the fore when a 19-year-old girl from Mansa was admitted to the Medicine Ward of the hospital for pancreatitis on Wednesday.  

Diljot Kaur is a daughter of Veerpal Kaur, who had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from the Bathinda constituency to highlight the agrarian crisis and farm suicides in the states.

Ironically, the hospital, wherein poor patients from Malwa and Haryana come for the treatment, doesn’t even have paracetamol.

Veerpal, who had accompanied her daughter was handed a long list of medicines to be purchased, including paracetamol.

She was asked to bring three meropenem injection – an antibiotic medicine given in pancreatitis which costs around Rs 500-700 per dose. Veerpal was also asked to bring a thermometer to check the temperature of the patient.

In despair, Veerpal said, “I am saddened by the state of affairs at the hospital. Lack of medicines, no patient care and insensitive behaviour of doctors speak the volume.”

Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra in the past had said doctors in the state need to instill trust among the patients and commitment towards the government healthcare system. He had also asked the doctors for introspection.

Having seen the lackadaisical attitude of the doctors, the kin of the patient made a request to refer her daughter to PGIMER, Chandigarh.

A regular affair

The doctors at the hospital informed that this was a regular affair and each department was hit by a shortage of basic medicines. In January, a senior resident had vented out his anger on Facebook against the apathy when his mother, a cancer patient, had to undergo a similar experience.

Medical Superintendent of Government Rajindra Hospital Rajan Singla said, “We are facing a shortage due to incomplete supply from the warehouse. I will take up the matter with the DRME.”