Mir Farhat
SRINAGAR, Jan 19:While the Valley’s lone maternity hospital, Lal Ded Memorial Hospital, has limped back to work after last year’s floods that damaged its infrastructure and essential machinery, it lacks some vital equipment as the Government has not released the funds yet.
Two medical teams had arrived to the hospital after the floods to assess its damage that was estimated at Rs 20 crore. Notwithstanding the huge damage, assistance from the Government has not been forthcoming to the State.
An official said that they have sent the requisition to the Central Government for the essential equipment but “we have received nothing till now.” “It is disappointing that even after two teams from the Centre who assessed the situation of the hospital post-floods, has neither sent any fund to us nor any equipment,” he said.
As per the records, 34,768 pregnant women have been checked in the OPD and 6332 patients have been admitted in its wards since floods. “The doctors have performed 2,654 major operations, 703 minor surgeries, 2482 Lower Segment Cesarian Sections (LSCS). A total of 3,646 babies, including normal (1,164) have been delivered after the floods till December end in the hospital”, records suggest.
Inspite of the huge patient rush from across the Valley, which lacks special maternity care in its peripheral hospitals, the management said they have “revived” most of the damaged equipment.
“We worked hard to restore the hospital to keep the mother-care kicking because we know it is the only medical facility available to our women. Whatever we could do we did,” Medical Superintendent LD Hospital Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather told Excelsior.
But the vital machinery which was damaged in the floods like X-Ray plant, USGs and other drug store machines have not been sent by the Union Government.
Dr Rather said X-Ray plant which was completely damaged has not been procured yet. “The hospital is using portable X-Ray machine in Neonatology and ICU. USG machine too is yet to be procured,” he said.
Machines like Oscillator and central heating system that keeps the hospital warm in this freezing winter have been partially revived.
He said other machinery like high-end water pumps that supply water to the hospital have been partially restored. General store and drug store items have not been procured yet.
The patients coming to the hospital face difficulty because the casualty is yet to be restored completely. “It has been partially restored,” Dr Rather said.
He said the oxygen plant and blood bank have been revived, but the blood bank lacks some equipment like cryofuges and centrifuges.
Amid the huge rush of patients and in turn the “unnecessary” number of attendants accompanying each woman, the maternity care has been struggling to maintain its hygiene.
The unclean wards, dusty corridors of the hospital make it appear as “rag store.” Despite large number of sweepers employed for keeping it clean, patients complain of poor sanitation.
In addition to the absence of ‘high end sanitation gadgets’ which have not been procured yet, the Superintendent blames attendants who accompany the patients “unnecessarily”.
“A patient is accompanied by more than 10 attendants when such a crowd is not required. On an average above 500 patients are treated daily. Given such a situation, we maintain its sanitation. But people should also think of the hospital and cooperate with us,” he said.
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