Neo-natal unit gathers dust due to staff crisis

The Government Community Centre in Barkas is in shambles with inadequate staff and facilities, resulting in problems to scores of patients visiting the hospital.

Started in the year 1990, this 50-bedded hospital faces severe crunch of doctors, forcing specialists to attend general cases of cough and cold.

“There are many primary health centres (PHCs) in the surroundings, but they refer the cases to our hospital. There is a severe dearth of doctors and due to huge rush, we are confined to attending minor ailments,” incharge superintendent Ms Sameena said.

The hospital has two gynaecologists, a paediatrician, dentist, ophthalmologist, general physician and pathologist. “Around 300 outpatients visit the hospital everyday and without adequate staff, we are facing problems,” she added.

Due to shortage of doctors and nurses, the hospital has not yet started the neo-natal stabilisation unit (NSU) at the hospital, although the government provided the equipment in 2011.

“The room where the equipment is kept is always locked. The doctors have not even removed the plastic sheet wrapped on the equipment,” Mr Talha Kaseri, a local leader, said.

He complained that patients were facing problems during the night when the doctors leave the hospital and go away. “Only paramedics or nurses were present in the hospital to take care of the patients. We had brought this to the notice of the higher authorities several times but to no avail,” he complained.

The inpatients at the hospital are entitled for food thrice a day, but it is not regularly supplied at the hospital, it was alleged.

Two days ago, a video of a woman complaining about the inappropriate approach of doctors towards patients went viral on social media.

“I was sent away from the hospital when I demanded medicine. I am suffering from knee pain and regularly visit the hospital,” she is seen complaining in the video. Ms Sameena said the woman was suffering from arthritis and they do not treat such cases.

“We generally give some medicine and refer the cases to other hospitals,” she clarified.