Director Health shocked, says will make sure X-ray of Covid patients is conducted at very hospital
By: Ahmad Shabir
Anantnag, MAY 10: After the Covid-19 pandemic broke out last year, authorities in Anantnag district designated newly constructed Trauma hospital as covid hospital. The facility was later chosen for the treatment of Covid positive pregnant women after several videos of pregnant women from red zones being denied treatment at MCH, the lone maternity hospital Anantnag, created public outrage.
Later, when the MCH started admitting the patients again, authorities left the trauma hospital as it was.
Now when the second wave of Covid has badly hit India including J&K, authorities in an attempt to fight the pandemic again dedicated 123-bedded hospital for Covid care.
Since some beds had already been fixed at the facility last year, health department installed more beds at the facility. Administration immediately sanctioned 1000 lpm oxygen plant for the facility, which was made functional within a week’s time.
The upper floor of the hospital also works as facility for Covid positive pregnant women. About 50 beds for Covid patients, all connected with oxygen plant are available in the hospital and most of them remain occupied.
However, attendants of Covid patients admitted at the facilities complain about lack of other facilities needed by the patients.
Attendants of many patients told Precious Kashmir that the health authorities have failed to install an X-ray plant at the hospital as a result of which patients are taken to old SDH for getting the X ray done.
“Despite being such a big Covid hospital, there is no X ray facility available. Most of the patients have suffered major or mild damage to their lungs and are oxygen support. But the health officials every day take the patients along for X ray to Old Hospital with the result their oxygen supply gets interrupted,” a man from Khanabal area, who is attending his father at the Covid Hospital told Precious Kashmir.
On Monday, the officials at Trauma hospital, attendants said, bundled at least eight Covid patients in an ambulance and took them for X-ray to old SDH building.
“I was accompanying my wife to SDH after she was advised X ray by the doctor. But as I saw around eight Covid patients having been ferried from Trauma hospital entering X ray room, I was terrified,” said Adil Rashid, a local from Bijbehara.
Since the old SDH Bijbehara has been kept open for non-Covid patients, Adil said authorities by taking the Covid patients to the hospital are actually spreading the virus by mingling them with other patients.
When contacted, Chief medical officer (CMO), Dr Mukhtar said Covid patients are only taken for CT scan to GMC Anantnag.
However, when told what were covid patients, who were ferried from Trauma hospital, doing at SDH, CMO avoided the question and said he was busy with the condolence of his relative.
Director health services, Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, however, expressed shock over Covid patients being taken to other hospital for X-ray.
“I will talk to MS of the hospital and will make sure that X-ray of Covid cases is done at the very hospital. I will look into it seriously,” Director said.
