Anantnag: More than a couple of years after the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag was made operational, the major healthcare facility in this south Kashmir district has no ECO cardiogram.
The failure of the authorities to purchase and install the equipment is forcing the patients with severe heart issues to seek treatment from private hospitals and clinics.
“This is irony that the medical college has no ECO facility available despite huge availability of funds. Authorities here are spending money on unnecessary things,” said a doctor posted at the hospital.
He said that the GMC authorities for last one year have been claiming to have placed the order for the ECO cardiogram but the same is yet to arrive.
In the absence of the facility poor patients are forced either to visit Srinagar hospitals or get the test done at private diagnostic centers where they are charged Rs 1800 to Rs 2000.
The GMC Anantnag, which earlier was a district hospital is one of the crowded hospitals in the Valley catering to the patients from all the four southern districts.
After being converted into medical college, the patient rush at the facility has almost doubled. However, the staff strength of the cardiology department continues to be same.
The department, a source said, is run by a single doctor since it started functioning nearly three years ago.
“A single cardiologist and few para-medics run the cardiology department as a result of which patients are seen in the OPD only twice a week,” said a paramedic posted in the hospital.
TMT machine in the hospital is also too old and medical college authorities seem to be in no mood to purchase one more machine.
Despite repeated attempts Principal GMC , Anantnag, Dr Showkat Jeelani did not respond to the repeated calls from Precious Kashmir.
Medical Superintendent of the hospital, however said that they have placed order for the purchase of ECO machine almost a year ago.
“We are supposed to make such purchases through Jammu Kashmir Medical Corporation. I think the machine will arrive in the hospital very soon,” the MS said.
