Sameer Singh
Bathinda, September 28
The state government has been promising new medical facilities, but it appears some of the existing infrastructure needs to be fixed on priority.
The main operation theatre in Civil Hospital, Bathinda, is being used without a door, exposing patients to the risk of life-threatening infection. Doctors on an average perform 20 to 25 operations daily in the OT. The door apparently broke several months ago, but no action was taken to replace it with a new one. Surgeries continue to take place with scant regard for safety issues.
With no screen, people going past the OT at times even peep inside while surgeries are being performed.
Besides making patients vulnerable to infection, their privacy is also getting compromised. Dr Vitull K Gupta, a health activist, said, “This is utterly shocking and unheard of in this modern era. It seems we have gone back to the Stone Age. It not only amounts to criminal negligence but also exposes patients undergoing surgery to life-threatening infections.
“Why have the doctors not refused to conduct operations in the OT without a door? There are very strict rules for OTs. Fumigation and tegular testing are needed to maintain infection-free walls, floors, air-filters, etc.” Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Dr Maninder Singh said, “Yes, the door of the operation theatre is broken, but we are planning to repair it soon. Also, there is a plan to use the newly readied OT on the second floor in another 10 to 15 days.”
Dr Tejwant Singh Dhillon, Civil Surgeon, did not respond to repeated calls on his phone.
Plan to use new OT
There is a plan to use the newly readied OT in 10-15 days. Dr Maninder Singh, Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital
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