Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 10: In absence of monitoring in the state, Punjab based private ambulances rule the roost in the Jammu province and concerned authorities including the health, traffic and transport departments fail to take action.
Moreover, touts, linked to the administration as well as politicians, have been working for some Punjab based private hospitals to run their ambulances and shift cases from the Government Medical College and Hospital Jammu to there.
Sources in the GMCH told Early Times that despite imposition of restrictions by Transport Commissioner J&K, vide its order No. 57-MVD of 2016 dated 24-06-2016 to curb the misuse, the practice has been running in the aforesaid hospital for last many years without obtaining NOC from the Directorate Health Services Jammu and violation of the State Transport Department with impunity.
Sources added that in the nonappearance of the monitoring, the Punjab based and others neighboring states ambulances are running and shifting patients from here to there. And touts (agents) are getting huge commission from the private hospitals. "As an emergency case enters in the hospital, touts, agents as well as few employees start following the case and mislead the attendants by asking them to move Punjab's private hospitals for better results otherwise the patients will be neglected if treats here (GMCH Jammu).
Sources also told that some reputed hospitals from Punjab have engaged their men in Jammu, on salary as well as commission basis, to help increase patient flow in their hospitals. "Lack of sufficient number of ambulances in the GMCH Jammu, is helping touts to boost the business from here, run the show and fleece the patients as per their own wish, "sources claimed.
"In the hospital, a mafia being run by the touts with the help of few employees of the hospital, which is not only controlling the affairs of the transportation but present the dirty image of the above said hospital, "sources said, adding that moreover, the hospital does not have enough ambulances to meet the needs of the patients' families due to which touts is succeed to mislead them.
When contacted Additional Commissioner Transport Department, Ajaz Abdullah said that the matter was under his knowledge and instructions would be issued after perusing the case.
Director DHS Jammu and Medical Superintendent of GMC Jammu were not available for comments on the issue. |
