Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 26: Minister for Health and Medical Education, ARI and Trainings Departments Ch Lal Singh today dedicated Endoscopy Unit at Government Medical College Hospital here.
Principal GMC Dr Ghanshyam Dev, Director General ISM Dr Abdul Kabir Dar, Lecturer Medicines Dr Vijyant Chandel besides other senior doctors of Government Medical College Hospital were present on the occasion.
Interacting with the people, Ch Lal Singh said that with the dedication of Endoscopy unit in GMC, the patients will get best medicare facilities in the hospital. He urged the people to avoid going private hospitals for endoscopy tests. He said Government is committed to provide all healthcare facilities in the Government health institutions.
The Minister took serious note of the complaint that Endoscope machine is not functional at Super-Specialty Hospital from last 6 months and patients were forced to get the tests done at the private clinics.
During the visit of the Minister to the Endoscopy Ward, it was brought to his notice that the equipment is functional but concerned doctor is avoiding tests of the patients at the hospital.
After verifying the facts, Ch Lal Singh found the Endoscopy Unit was intentionally made non-functional by Lecturer Dr Showkat Choudhary to help private clinics. He asked the Lecturer Medicines Dr Vijyant Chandel (Gastroenterologist) to work honestly and regularly render the Endoscopy services to the patients in Super-Specialty Hospital.
Ch Lal Singh said that Dr Showkat Choudhary was shifted to Gastroenterology unit of the super-specialty hospital in violation of the norms. He said Dr Choudhary has been asked to report back to his parent department in GMC Jammu.
Earlier, the Minister also paid surprise visit to the Sub-District Hospital Hiranagar and inspected the healthcare facilities being provided to the patients in the hospital.
Director Health Services Dr Baljeet Singh Pathania, Mission Director NRHM Dr Yash Pal Sharma besides medicos and paramadics of the hospital were present on the occasion.
Ch Lal Singh asked the hospital functionaries to personally monitor the progress of each employee and healthcare facilities to the people. He informed that Government is making concerted efforts to increase manpower and machinery in Government hospitals particularly in rural pockets of the State.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Dr Shoket Choudhary, who had established Gastro-entrology Department in the Super Specialty Hospital, said it was true that Endoscopy system was non-functional for the last five months.
“The problem with the machine was that its main source of light was stopping unpredictably. He clarified that with a Endoscope a Gastro-enterologist performs endoscopy surgeries and if in middle of the surgery it stops working the results are not difficult to imagine. He said the Director National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, University of Jammu had given in writing that the machine has outlived its life and was stopping unpredictably, which can put lives of the patients at risk.
“Thereafter I was running from GMC Jammu to Secretariat to get the endoscopy system replaced,” he said, adding he had even approached the Health and Medical Education Minister but nothing followed.
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