Only 2 docs in Kangra Civil Hospital!

Ashok Raina

Kangra, November 11

Resentment prevails among residents here as the Kangra Civil Hospital is without doctors.

There are only two doctors left to run the hospital and the visiting patients are at the receiving end.

The civil hospital is in a shambles as against the eight posts of doctors sanctioned, six are lying vacant leaving the patients in a lurch. There are only two women doctors, one is on maternity leave and the other is medically unfit as she is in family way. Even the Senior Medical Officer (SMO) was transferred to Dharamsala.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh on December 3, 1985, inaugurated this 50 bedded sub-divisional hospital, which was upgraded by Chief Minister Prof PK Dhumal to 100-bedded hospital. An upgrading notification

(Health –A-B (B) 2 /99) was issued by the government on December 20, 2000, remained just in files even after a lapse of 17 years. The residents here feel that Kangra is an important pilgrimage and a historical place but lacks basic amenities like healthcare.

Dr Sushma Sharma, officiating SMO, too, has gone on medical leave now. There are two doctors from peripheral hospital looking after this hospital which has an OPD of 500 patients daily.

Chief Medical officer Dr RS Rana expressed his inability to improve the situation of the hospital. However, he further said some doctors in the peripheral hospitals had been directed to carry out night duties in the Kangra hospital. The CMO said there was a shortage of doctors and the people would have to bear with them.Parikshit Raj, a local resident, asked why only Kangra Hospital had become the victim of government apathy?

Most of the rooms of doctors are locked as there is no gynecologist, no general surgeon, no medical specialist, no orthopedic surgeon, no pediatrician and no radiologist.

An ultrasound machine was gathering dust for want of a radiologist.

There is no operation theatre assistant for the last five years bringing the theatre activities to a halt.

Senior citizens of the town alleged that the hospital was ignored as the political leadership was not sincere in serving the people.

They questioned the government as to why the hospital despite notification was not upgraded even after 17 years. Following the upgrading there would have been 17 doctors, 7 pharmacists,14 staff nurses and 20 Class IV employees to provide better healthcare to the patients.The hospital was lacking the staff even of a 50-bedded hospital.