Srinagar- Amid increase in the number of health complications during winter and threat of another covid wave looming large, patients have complained that there is non-availability of senior and experienced medical staff at premier hospitals of the city during night shifts.
Patients say in absence of Senior Residents, the healthcare of patients is being compromised and authorities need to come to the rescue of ailing patients.
“I went to the SMHS hospital at around 11: 45 p.m. and unfortunately no doctor was available at the OPD, when I asked the staff to check the health status of the patient, they told me to go to the emergency room.” Irfan Ahmed an attendant said.
Similar concern was raised by other patients visiting the SMHS hospital.
“At first, we could not locate doctors, later we found there were only juniors around,” said an attendant on anonymity.
However, brushing aside these claims Medical Superintendent SMHS Hospital Dr Muzaffar Zargar said that there is always a team of senior and junior doctors available during the night shifts.
“OPD does not operate during the night. However, during night time, those in need of critical care need to go to the emergency Unit. A medical team and a surgical team are always at the rescue of the patients.” Dr Muzaffar said.
He further said that there is no question of non-availability of senior doctors.
“Surgeries and complicated procedures are performed during the night. How is that possible without senior consultants?” he said.
Director, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Dr Parvaiz Koul also refuted these allegations saying in the Emergency unit of the Hospital adequate number of junior and senior doctors are available for consultations.
“In government hospitals there is a huge influx of patients and the ratio of doctors attending the patients is less. A junior doctor and a consultant cannot be made available for a single patient at the same time, it is not possible” Dr Parvaiz said.
However, Dr Parvaiz said that in a private setup, things are quite different.
“In a private setup the patient doctor ratio is less. At SKIMS, a doctor single handedly monitors scores of patients, if he spends only one minute with a single patient, he will end up spending two to three hours.”
“That is how things are on the ground level” he added.
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