Baramulla hospital faces medicine shortage
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, December 29
Patient care at Baramulla medical college and hospital, which was supposed to come up as premier healthcare facility in north Kashmir, has been severely hit due to the severe shortage of medicines and defunct machinery.
As the CT scan machine has been inoperable for the past over six months, the referrals to Srinagar, particularly the trauma cases, have increases manifold.
“On Thursday evening, my relative Abdul Gani was referred from the Baramulla hospital to SKIMS, Soura, for the want of a simple CT scan. He had suffered a haemorrhage and died in the Srinagar hospital at 11.30 pm,” said Mohammad Ashraf Lone, Baramulla resident.
Problems occurred while the hospital was being taken over by the Health and Medical Education Department. It also led to the shortage of medicines as the hospital was not getting any supplies. The issues have been resolved. The hospital will function normally from next week.
Dr Masood, Medical Supdt, Baramulla hospital
Like Gani, everyday scores of such patients needing CT scan for a prompt diagnosis are referred to Srinagarfrom the emergency ward of the Baramulla hospital, many of whom expire on the same day. The CT scan machine was installed at the hospital in 2014 and since then, it had benefitted thousands of patients in north Kashmir, who otherwise had to wait for months to clear the waiting list and travel to the summer capital to get it done.
Besides, the medical college and hospital is also facing shortage of medicines and fluids like DNS, RL and D-5, etc.
“Even normal saline water is not available in the hospital. The patients are forced to buy these basic medicines from the market, which otherwise should have been available,” sources within the hospital disclosed. They said the central heating system is also inoperable and in the absence of alternative heating arrangement, patients and attendants shiver in the wards in the sub-zero temperature.
When asked as to why the CT scan machine has not been made operational despite the passing of over six months and the shortage of medicines, Medical Superintendent, Baramulla medical college and hospital, Dr Masood blamed it on the transition process as the hospital was being taken over by the Health and Medical Education Department.
“Since we were in a transition mode, the problems persisted. We hope to get the CT scan machine ready within two or three days as we are expecting a team of technicians from Hyderabad,” he said.
Dr Masood said it also led to the shortage of medicines as the hospital was not getting any supplies from the Health Services Department. “All these issues have been resolved and the hospital will function normally from next week,” he added.
Unlock Exclusive Insights with The Tribune Premium
Take your experience further with Premium access.
Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only Benefits
Already a Member? Sign In Now
