Deadline over, no OPDs at Nerchowk hospital

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 17

The state government has failed to meet its deadline to start OPDs at Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College, Nerchowk, in Mandi district from July 15, disappointing the people of the region.

The people of Mandi district and its neighbouring districts of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti were waiting desperately for the start of OPDs at the medical college so that they could get medical services nearby.

The health services in tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti have also been in disarray for the past several years. Patients from the district also visit the Regional Hospital, Kullu, to avail the medical facilities.

The failure on the part of the government to start OPDs at the hospital is a big blow to them as well.

The expectant mothers are the worst sufferers because district hospitals in Kullu and Lahaul Spiti do not even have a gynaecologist. Similarly, the situation in Mandi district is equally grim, where a majority of health institutions lack adequate health staff.

The heavy rush of patients is overburdening the Zonal Hospital, Mandi, which is ill-equipped to handle so many patients.

When asked about the failure of the government to meet the deadline, Health Minister Vipin Singh Parmar said the cause of the delay in the start the OPDs at the Nerchowk medical college was lack of required medical equipment and furniture. The state government was in the process of purchasing these so that the health service could be started in the college.

The minister said the process was going on. In fact, it was in the final stage. The government now proposed to begin the health services in mid-August.

Seema, a resident of Mandi, said to provide adequate healthcare facilities to people was the responsibility of the government.

The government should start health services in the medical college as soon as possible, which would be a great relief to the people of the region. It will cater to the people of four districts of Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Bilaspur and Mandi.

The Opposition is targeting the state government for delay in starting health services in the medical college at Nerchowk. The Health Minister had last month stated that the government would start OPDs on July 15, giving a ray of hope to the people of the district. But as of now people are in distress because of poor health service in the Mandi zone.

Some doctors told The Tribune that due to inadequate infrastructure at the Zonal Hospital, Mandi, they were facing difficulties and forced to refer the patients to either Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, or the PGI, Chandigarh.

Lack of medical equipment to blame

• Lack of medical equipment and furniture causes delay in the start of OPDs at Nerchowk hospital
• The state government is in the process of purchasing the medical equipment
• It now proposes to launch the services by mid-August