Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 30: Astonished it may sound but it is true that the premier maternity and paediatric hospital of Jammu-Shri Maharaja Ghulab Singh (SMGS) hospital has been running without Paediatric Surgery department, since its establishment owing to lethargy of Health department.
Sources informed Early Times that everyday nearly 1,200 patients visited OPDs of the hospital besides 100 patients were admitted to various wards and 60 deliveries and major and minor operations are performed every day.
"Contrary to tall claims of state government, large number of patients has failed to get required surgeries done due to unavailability of paediatric surgery department in the SMGS hospital," sources maintained and disclosed that, absence of same department has been causing much worry to the patients, who require the surgery.
Either attendant has to shift their tiny patients to General Surgery ward of GMC hospital Jammu or to move private hospitals, while it is the poor who suffer the most due to the government's indecision in this regard, sources said.
"GMC hospital has two paediatric surgeons, who have been working in general surgery ward but they are unable to perform surgery in the SMGS hospital owing to absence of required infrastructure," a senior doctor said on condition of anonymity, adding that the authority concerned had time to time informed the higher authorities about the issue of the paediatric surgeons and departments establishment but nothing has been done so far.
The doctor claimed as they couldn't do anything in this regard as decision has to be taken by the government to open paediatric surgery department.
Talking to Early Times, Head of Department (HOD) of Paediatric Department, Rekha Harish said that there was no Paediatric Surgery department in the hospital. "In case anyone is required surgery, we approach to general surgery department of Government Medical College for the treatment," she claimed.
When contacted Deputy Superintendent of SMGS hospital Dr. Dara Singh said, "We have taken up the matter in-front of Principal of GMC before elections and he assured that Paediatric Surgery department will be opened in SMGS hospital as soon as possible,".
He added that a proposal of the same had been forwarded to Health department for approval but due to Model Code of Conduct (MCC) the proposal had stuck in the Health Department. "Now, we are hoping the same department will open shortly and serve the needy," he added. |
