Srinagar, June 11: Normally a human is expected to work eight to nine hours  a day while for doctors, the work hours, as per international standards are even lesser given the sensitivity of the job. But at Lal Ded Hospital, they work at a stretch for around 30 long hours.
 Reaching the duty at 10 AM on a day and then working continues till 3PM the next day is almost a routine for the Junior Doctors and Registrars at the LD.
 Sources said as for the Labor Room, around six Post Graduates and two Senior Doctors working as Registrars manage the Labor Room, which is frequented by around 300 patients a day.
 Even though the team is lead by a Consultant, the top level hardly has to work.
 “Consultants have a limited job of supervising the unit and are called for consultation only in case if a specific emergency,” said a medico requesting not to be named.
 He added: “Consultant is on call for crucial cases like Ectoper Pregnancy, Ceaserian Hysterectomy.”
 Observers said the job profile was ‘illogical and needs to be revamped as per the needs of the time.”
 “By the time the consultant will be brought to the hospital from his or her home, a patient may die simply because given the traffic jams and bad road conditions it takes time to travel in Srinagar,” explained a retired Gynecologist requesting not to be named.
 She suggested that it was better if Registrars are accorded consent to do the job of Consultant in case of emergency.
 But then when at hospital what do the consultants do?
 “See most of them happen to be reputed names having good private practice… So at times they get their private clients admitted in the hospital and treat them,” replied a senior official at Government Medical College.
 “This is like killing two birds with a hand. One that they (Consultants) remain busy at hospital as well. Two they get to serve their private patients in a foolproof manner,” he explained.
 Some doctors said the matter needs to be probed by the government.
 “Let the Heath Minister (RS Chib) get an impartial probe initiated to see how government resources are exploited to treat private patients,” said a group of young doctors at the GMC.
 They said the given work system was affecting their academic studies at the hospital.
 “Firstly the seniors don’t have time to make us learn. Secondly we remain so busy catering to patients that we hardly get an academic education,” they argued adding that the Post Graduate program was more of a “continued exposure to treating routine patients than any specialization.”
 “There’s no academics. No classes and no bedside teachings,” they added.
 When contacted a senior doctor in the hospital administration admitted that the doctors were overburdened.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST