No anaesthesia specialist at Abohar Civil Hospital

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, July 4

As the state government has failed to depute a regular anaesthesia specialist at the 100-bed subdivisional Civil Hospital, several patients are being referred to other cities or to private hospitals.

Fazilka-based anaesthesia specialist Dr Bhupen has been directed to visit Abohar two days a week. Apart from general surgeries, he is required to coordinate in caesarean-section deliveries and major operations, but for the last three weeks, he has been asked to report at the emergency wing.

Surgeon Dr Gagandeep Singh said three-four patients come for general operations every day. In the past three weeks, 60 women were referred to Fazilka, Jalalabad and Faridkot hospitals.

Veerpal Kaur of Mammukhera village said she had been visiting the Civil Hospital to get operated for gallstones. “There is no doctor available here,” she said.

Orthopaedic specialist Dr Sanman Mazi said 80 patients were already in the queue and due to the absence of anaesthetists, files of 20 new patients are in the queue.

Due to the shortage of gynaecologist at the hospital, most C-section deliveries are done at private hospitals.

Anju Rani, head, ASHA Workers’ Union, said nurses try to ensure normal deliveries, but many women are referred to other cities.

Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar said he had raised the issue with the health minister, but has got only assurances and no action has been taken.