People Allege CMO Also Never Listens To Them; People Urge Governor To Interfere
Kupwara : The patient care at sub-district hospital Kupwara is getting severely affected due to callous approach of doctors and medical staff, the attendants allege.
The patients at the hospital in this frontier district complain that they have been left to fend for themselves by doctors and medical staff.
An attendant while talking to GNS said he along with his family has been visiting the hospital for the last five days for USG but the hospital staff are showing no concern.
“We have no money for private clinics which charge Rs 600 to 700. Every time we visit here, we are asked to come next day for tests. Five days have passed like this and we are yet to get the tests done,” he said.
He said the doctors and other medical staff come to hospital at 11:30 am and leave at 3 pm. “They also treat only those patients with whom they have personal contacts,” he said.
Demanding justice, the attendant urged DC Kupwara to revamp the system to give some relief to poor people who are suffering at the hands of the hospital staff.
A female attendant said the patient along with her has been feeling dizziness since yesterday and “there is no doctor available”.
“After paying the fee for USG test, we are being made to wait. Despite the emergency in our case, there is no doctor available. We are left with no option but to visit a private clinic,” she said.
Last week, a woman was operated upon for a kidney stone and doctors, according to the patient’s family, relied on CBC (complete blood count) test conducted some 28 days ago and she as per it had 8 pints of blood. The family from Kupwara said that post surgery, the blood count of the patient was found to be only 5 pints following which she had to be shifted to SKIMS Soura even as two pints of blood were administered to her at the hospital. “The doctors seemed to be in hurry all the way through and they are least bothered to even follow basics,” a family member of the patient said. “Now she is battling for life at SKIMS and God forbid even any untoward happens to her, it would be the responsibility of the doctors.”
Another attendant from Kupwara’s far-flung area of Meelyal told GNS that during his visit to the sub-district hospital last month, he was given July 5 as appointment date. However, on visiting the hospital on the given date, he said there was no doctor available.
“When I visited the hospital on June 24, the medical staff asked me to visit on July 5. While I am here today, they are telling me that no doctor is available. I hail from Meelyal while many are from Tanghdar and Chowkibal and other far-flung areas. I only had 100 rupees for the fare. Wherefrom will I get the money to travel here again,” the attendant said.
“They keep on making excuses that doctors are not available. I ask them why at all are they being deputed here if they can’t make themselves available for patients,” he said and demanded immediate action against the hospital staff.
Meanwhile, locals have accused the concerned Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of playing down the issues of patients despite being apprised on various occasions.
“It has not happened for the first time,” a local said, adding, “The CMO has been giving a free hand to his subordinates to flay the ethics and norms of this noble profession.”
“We had asked the CMO to rectify the things but he has done nothing to improve the work culture in the hospital,” the local said.
Despite several attempts, the CMO Kupwara could not be reached for his comments. In past also, repeated calls to CMO never fructify. Also people alleged that the CMO concerned never interacts with people who visit his office with complaints.
The people urged Governor Satya Pal Malik to interfere in order to ensure better health care to the people. They said doctors and staff posted in the hospital should care for patients, keep them well informed and adequately respond to requests or complaints. “Through your medium, we request the governor to ensure that there are doctors and staff who care for poor people,” they said. (GNS)
