Srinagar, Aug 18: If anything differentiates the “trauma centres” in Kangan and Qazigund areas of Kashmir from ordinary health centres around, it is their nameplates. Beyond that, the facilities are no better than dispensaries.
 There are no traumatologists in both the centres. There is no infrastructure pertaining to treat the trauma patients, who are frequently referred to Srinagar hospitals for “specialized treatment.” If anyone is treated there, it is the patients with headache, backache, or at the most, those with very minor traumas.
 There is no cardio- thoracic vascular surgeon, no neuro-surgeon, no reception or resuscitation team or no fully operational operation theatre—which medicos believe were a must for any trauma centres. There is no triage room where, according to medicos, the patients are categorized and prioritized for immediate, delayed or routine treatment.
 Established with much fanfare 2-years back, the Kangan trauma centre is no better than a sub-district hospital. So far the Health Department has failed to appoint a traumatologist for the centre.
 “In absence of requisite facilities, we often refer trauma patients to Srinagar hospitals,” said a medico at Kangan hospital, insisting not to be named. “There is nothing that can distinguish this trauma centre from an ordinary hospital. So I think these facilities were created more for vote-bank reasons than serving patients.”
 According to insiders, it was actually the Kangan sub-district hospital which was changed into the Trauma Centre. “But the staff strength remained the same. So it remains to be the sub-district hospital,” they said.
 The Medical Superintendent of the Kangan Centre, Dr Nazir Ahmad, said they had a surgeon, ENT specialist, ophthalmologist, gynaecologist, anaestheologist, physician and paediatrician in the hospital. “We don’t have a traumatologist. But we are able to treat patients with minor traumas,” he said, admitting frankly that they were running short of staff.
 “Forty new posts have been created for the centre, but they are yet to be filled,” he said.
 Sources, however, said there is no traumatologist among the new posts.

QAZIGUND CENTRE A DISPESARY?
 This centre in south Kashmir was built at a cost of Rs 13 crores and was inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in May this year. But to the disappointment of people, it is no better than a dispensary. Here even patients who have to undergo abdominal or appendix surgeries are referred to Srinagar, not to talk of treating the trauma patients.
 There are just two B-grade specialists and a few paramedics looking after the entire hospital. “This trauma centre is actually working as the sub-district hospital. There is no trauma facility here,” said a medico working in the hospital.
 Interestingly, during its inauguration, the chief minister had asserted that it was his dream to ensure “health security” to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Government has considered health sector as one of the most important sectors and steps were afoot to modernise it and extend adequate healthcare facilities to villages and remote areas. Manning of government hospitals and health centres across the state is receiving priority attention of his Government and measures have been initiated to post doctors and para-medical staff adequately in these institutions so that patients receive the quality treatment,” he had said.
 But so far, according to medicos, not a single district hospital has been upgraded to the extent that it can fully cater to all the patients, including the trauma ones.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST