Shortage of doctors leads the Raja Sukhdev Singh hospital to become a referral hospital; Doctors’ private practice hamper regular water; patients suffering

Shortage of doctors leads the Raja Sukhdev Singh hospital to become a referral hospital; Doctors’ private practice hamper regular water; patients suffering

POONCH TODAY NEWS

POONCH: Thousands of crores were provided to the health department in Poonch over the years, but due to the shortage of doctors and private practice of available doctors, patients suffer a lot, and for this reason, this hospital is fit to be declared as a first aid referral hospital, because in the emergency ward, nobody can see a specialist doctor related to various diseases and a well-trained staff.

It is mostly less experienced doctors and staff who are given the task of running the emergency, which is very unfortunate. Many cases of child deaths have been reported so far, but hospital authorities have never moved an inch. Poor people from different areas of Poonch district used to visit this hospital, but they don’t get quality treatment because doctors are seen busy in private practice and are least bothered about the patients’ health care. A few prominent citizens of Poonch, pleading anonymity, said, “See the condition of the emergency ward. There will never be a specialist doctor or any trained personnel. Only those who have little experience are given the duty to run an emergency. Whenever a patient related to an accident or other major disease comes, sensing trouble, hospital authorities used to refer the patient to GMC Rajouri or GMC Jammu. This hospital should be declared a first aid referral hospital. Ghulam Ahmed, a local, said, “I pray to God to give good health to all citizens, because if a patient comes to this hospital for any kind of treatment, then only God can save him, because the staff used to treat patients in an unprofessional way. The entire healthcare system is totally defunct. The main motto of doctors is to earn money from private practice and various kinds of operations. Look at the operation theatre. Every patient has to grease the palms of doctors and staff for no reason.” There are also reports that doctors and other top officers have strong links with medical shops, and they both used to look after the interests of each other, especially in monetary matters. The Chief Medical Officer, Poonch, and the Medical Superintendent, Raja Sukhdev Singh Hospital, have failed in all aspects to improve health care facilities. A common man of Poonch has lost faith in the healthcare facilities, as one doesn’t want poor services in the hospital. A few tainted officials have spoilt everything, and now the healthcare system itself is on life support. The government needs to intervene and direct the authorities to strengthen healthcare facilities in the hospital, tackling all major diseases here rather than referring patients without any logic. This Raja Sukhdev Singh Hospital has become a first aid referral hospital, and all-out efforts are needed from the government to remove this bad impression from the minds of the people by ensuring quality health services. The healthcare facilities have reached a deteriorating level, and the people of Poonch are worrying for their future when it comes to securing better health. A high-level investigation into the sorry state of affairs at Raja Sukhdev Singh Hospital Poonch is required in the interest of all-round health care facilities for the patients.