Mandi hospital ill-equipped

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, April 8

Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College and Hospital, Ner Chowk, Mandi, is ill-equipped to handle Covid cases. The hospital lacks adequate health staff and equipment.

In the wake of the deadly virus affecting the entire world, the state government had reserved this hospital for treatment of Covid patients.

Sources said there was an acute shortage of doctors and other paramedical staff. The sanctioned posts were still vacant. The MCI was yet to grant approval to postgraduate courses at the medical college.

Health staff at the medical college said the hospital building had central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. “The same air crosses from one place to other in the entire building. In this case, chances of infection are more as there is no proper ventilation,” said one of the health workers.

Besides, the hospital does not have sufficient N-95 masks and PPE kits for doctors and nurses on duty.

At present, the hospital is equipped to provide quarantine and medical facility to 100 patients. There are seven ventilators and intensive care unit has been made functional. The hospital caters to patients from Mandi, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and some parts of Bilaspur district.

Dr Rajneesh Pathania, Principal of the college, said the higher authorities had been apprised of the shortage of staff and all other issues.