Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, June 10: The childcare has taken a serious hit at Trauma Hospital Pattan that has been converted into an emergency maternal and child care centre owing to the COVID-19, as no paediatrician is available in the hospital.
The hospital has been functioning without a paediatrician for the last many days as authorities failed to find a replacement for a lone doctor that left the hospital because of promotion. The absence of the doctor has affected the childcare at the hospital and patients are forced to travel to other districts for treatment. “It is really difficult to travel to other districts these days as restrictions vary from place to place,” a patient said adding the newborn babies who need to be examined are the worst hit.
The administration converted the Trauma Hospital into MCH so that expectant mothers receive adequate medical attention who were facing problems due to overburdening of hospitals with COVID-19 patients. While the pregnant ladies receive proper treatment at the hospital, new-born babies with minor issues are being referred to G B Pant hospital in Srinagar.
The doctors at the hospital told Excelsior that they receive a huge number of patients every day from different parts of Baramulla district. “The biggest chunk of patients comes from Sopore, that has a vast population,” a doctor said. He added in absence of a paediatrician the hospitals diverts around 30-40 patients every day.
The locals also expressed resentment about the lack of child specialist in the hospital and asked authorities to fill the post immediately. “An MCH is incomplete without a paediatrician. Government should post a specialist here or close this hospital. It is of no use without a child specialist,” Ghulam Muhammad, a local said, adding the hospitals cater to almost entire North Kashmir.
Block Medical Officer Pattan, Dr Mastoora Akhter, said that there was a dire need of paediatrician in the hospital and they have taken up the issue with the department. “We have written to the authorities about it and are hopeful,” she said.
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