Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 30: High Court today sought response from the authorities for lack of facilities due to overflowing patients in Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College Bemina in Srinagar.
It is after admitting by the authorities of Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College of Srinagar that the hospital lacks facilities due to overflowing patients, the High Court sought a response indicating there-in the steps taken to overcome and control the patient care in the hospital.
The response has been filed by the Principal SKIMS Medical College, Srinagar submitting therein that the current situation in the hospital is overflowing with patients as the daily OPD attendance of Obstetrics and Gynecology patients has risen hugely in the last ten years from 6007 to 60235 but the situation remains same as ten year back it was.
The division bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal after having this glaring situation in the hospital sought a complete response from Health and Medical Education Department in order to overcome this situation so that the daily patient care is not affected.
The report reveals that with just 39 beds more than 60 patients remain admitted in the Obstetrics & Gynae department because the number so high that admitting 25 to 30 patients against only available 10 beds in the labor room at times can increase the risk of infection.
“In order to overcome the impediments in the patient care particularly related to Obstetrics & Gynae and Pediatrics, a proposal was submitted for amalgamation of 250 bedded mother and child health hospital being constructed near the hospital to Chief Secretary of the erstwhile state in 2018”, reads the response of Principal.
After the proposal was placed before the Committee headed by Principal Secretary H&ME department, it was informed to the chair that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI announced establishment of two new maternity hospitals, one each at Srinagar and Jammu with an object to reduce the burden on existing maternity hospitals- Lalla Ded Hospital in Srinagar and SMGS Hospital in Jammu.
However, after detailed deliberation the H&ME department decided not to associate new maternity and children hospital with SKIMS Medical College, Bemina Srinagar. The counsel appearing as amicus to the petition submitted before the court that the said proposed hospital has been converted into full-fledged pediatrics instead of maternity hospital as was sanctioned.
“By increasing the facilities for mother and child through amalgamation of under construction mother and child hospital with SKIMS medical college, not only would patients get benefited and reduce the risk of delayed treatment, but simultaneously prevent further overcrowding in the lone maternity LD hospital in the valley”, Principal further adds.
However, the maternity and child care facilities is the need of hour but the newly constructed 200 bedded maternity and 300 bedded children hospital at Bemina Srinagar has been converted into full-fledged 500 bedded pediatrics hospital keeping the aim of mitigating the lack of facilities with regard to patients having Obstetrics and Gynae problems.
A representation was moved to CJ by the President Initiative for Peace and Development which was treated as public interest litigation by the court. The matter pertains to insufficient facilities for women and children and the court arrayed the H&ME department, Medical Superintendent of SKIMS Medical College as respondents and after submitting the response by Principal admitting therein the overflowing of Gynae and Pediatric patient, the court deemed it proper to seek response from the H&ME department qua the amalgamation of 250 bedded Mother and Child health Hospital.
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