Shortage of specialists, equipments hit Ferozepur eye hospital

Patients depend on eye camps organised by NGOs

Advertisement

Quote: Problem for critical patients

“No operation or surgeries are being conducted here, and critical patients are referred to the Government Medical College, Faridkot.” – Sandeep Bajaj, ophthalmic officer

ANIRUDH GUPTA

Ferozepur, December 27

The state-of-the-art eye hospital, which was constructed at Rs 5.5 crore, has become a white elephant in the absence of any superspecialist doctors, paramedical staff and specialised equipments to treat patients.

The only eye specialist working here resigned recently, when the hospital has been already facing a shortage of doctors.

In the absence of superspecialist doctors, the patients have to depend on the eye camps being organised by various NGOs, as most of them belong to the poor strata, and are unable to afford the expensive treatment at private hospitals. More often than not, during these camps also, the adequate equipments are not available and sterile conditions are not maintained.

Dr Davinderpal Singh Gill, eye specialist, who recently resigned, said he had submitted his resignation in September due to some family issues. “I was working here since the inception of the hospital. As many 600 surgeries have been performed here with the help of local NGOs.”

Sandeep Bajaj, ophthalmic officer at the hospital, said around 50-60 patients came to the OPD daily. “However, no operation or surgeries are being conducted here, and critical patients are referred to the Government Medical College, Faridkot,” he said.

Dr Sanjiv Gupta, district nodal officer for National Programme for Control of Blindness in India (NPCB) and Assistant Civil Surgeon, said he had written to the Health Department regarding the shortage of staff and unavailability of superspecialist doctors. “The eye surgeon deputed at the Zira Civil Hospital is also on leave. There are two ophthalmic officers,” he said.

The eye hospital was inaugurated on August 4, 2014 by the then Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jiyani during the SAD-BJP regime. However, the hospital has been facing shortage of staff and equipment ever since its inception. Till date, pleas of the poor have not been addressed.

Raman Kumar Sharma, a senior office-bearer of Bharat Vikas Parishad, which organises eye camps on a regular basis here, said the state should immediately appoint a retina specialist and provide proper infrastructure for the benefit of the poor patients, who come from far-flung areas for eye surgeries.