SMHS seeing un-notified referrals from peripheries
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, May 6: With caseload increasing every passing day, the doctors at SMHS Srinagar are facing the heat as the Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar has not so far engaged the doctors from the non-clinical departments for COVID care to decrease the increasing burden on those currently on-duty.
As per details, while the SMHS is dedicating ward after ward for the COVID care, it has failed in increasing the manpower in the shape of doctors as the number of doctors taking care of the COVID patients remains the same.
Excelsior has learned that from just 2 COVID dedicated wards to 9 wards now with 220 beds, space is being increased and more and more patients are being taken in every day, however, less focus is being given to augment the staff strength which is meant to look after the patients.
A doctor on the condition of anonymity said that they are feeling the pressure as only the doctors from the Department of Medicine are being engaged for COVID duties, while the rest of the specialities are lying idle. “Be it the COVID, or the emergency care; the people from the department of Medicine are everywhere,” the doctor said.
As of now 40 PG from the department of Medicine are performing COVID duties in 3 shifts, around 20 from the same department are performing their duties in other places, while as the rest of the departments which are working under 50 per cent roster are not being roped in to lessen the burden of the doctors who are currently taking care of the COVID wards at the hospital.
The SMHS hospital on average receives more than 60 COVID-19 positive patients; however, the staff has so far remained unchanged, with little changes made here and there.
On top of it, Excelsior has been told that the hospital also gets un-notified referrals from the peripheries which are in total violation of the orders issued by the DHSK and the Divisional Administration issued because of the increasing load on the tertiary care hospitals.
Interestingly, about the incentives that were recently announced by the Govt of India for the frontline workers which included doctors as well, the GMC Srinagar alone has sent the names of 800 people including doctors from various departments, however, on the ground, they have not been engaged to take care of the COVID patients who throng the hospital on daily basis.
The Medical Superintendent, SMHS Hospital Dr Nazir Chowdhary told Excelsior that they do rope in doctors from other specialities as and when needed.
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