Govind Sharma
JAMMU, June 24: The patients of gastroenterology are suffering badly as for last 15 days even a single OPD was not conducted for these patients in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
According to the sources, as per OPD schedule of GMCH Jammu, the Gastro OPD is conducted twice a week i.e, on Tuesday and Friday but for last about 15 days no Gastro OPD was conducted in the hospital.
Sources said, “There are only two Gastroenterologists in the Medical College one Dr Showket Choudhary and other Dr Vijant Singh Chandel. As Dr Showket Choudhary (former HoD Gastroenterology) was attached with the office of Principal, GMCH Jammu few months ago by Minister for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat, Dr Vijant Chandel was handling the affairs of the department here at Medical College and conducting Gastro OPD”.
They said that the last Gastro OPD was conducted on June 10 and thereafter no OPD was conducted nor there will be any in next 15 days as Dr Chandel has went on about one month leave leaving the patients to suffer.
“It’s shocking that this premiere hospital where not only patients from Jammu and other districts but also sometimes from neighbouring States come for treatment, has only two Gastroenterologists and that too are not available for OPD services”, Rahul Singh, a patient of Gastroenterology said, adding he had come here to get himself checked in Gastro OPD but he was told to come after July 10, as the concerned doctor is on leave and will probably come after July 10.
Another patient, 50-year-old Mohan Lal, said that this is his second visit to the hospital. “First I came here on June 14 when I was told to come next week and today (June 24) when I have come again, I was asked to come on July 12. What is this non-sense? Is not there any administration? If yes, then they should make alternate arrangements so that the patients may not suffer”, he added.
Sources further said that a surgeon is doing endoscopy tests just to “befool the poor and ignorant patients”, who do not know that an untrained person is conducting test on them and could put their life in danger.
When contacted, Principal, GMCH Jammu, Dr Zahid H Gillani, said that it is true that no Gastro OPD could be conducted for last 15 days, as the only Gastroenterologist has gone on leave while the other is attached with his office. We asked Dr Showket Choudhary to conduct Gastro OPD in the absence of Dr Chandel but he is reluctant and Dr Chandel is on routine leave.
“We have no option except making request to Dr Chandel to cut short his vacation and join the office in the interest of patient care and we have done that and probably he will come and conduct the OPD on coming Tuesday”, he added.
On the issue of conducting endoscopy tests by a surgeon, Dr Gillani said that he is not a general surgeon but a Gastro surgeon, so he can conduct such tests.
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