Srinagar, May 6: The official neglect and casual approach of authorities has left the Government Chest Diseases Hospital here in mess as hundreds of patients visiting the hospital face lot of inconvenience due to unhygienic conditions and lack of basic healthcare facilities.
 Unlike its name as a lone chest disease specialty in the Valley, the hospital lacks essential diagnostic facilities including X-ray test and Bronchoscopy to examine the patient's airways for abnormalities.
 While the X-ray machine installed in the hospital has been grounded for the want of films, the Bronchoscope had stopped working a year ago as ‘it belongs to the period when Englishmen established this hospital’, sources told Greater Kashmir. “It has gained rust and cannot be made functional due to its age. The administration doesn’t bother to purchase new machine to cater huge rush of the patients,” they said.
 The Chest Diseases Hospital receives hundreds of patients suffering from ailments like bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, COPD and malignancy and occupational lung diseases.
 According to the sources most of the patients require X-ray test to be done. “But they face hardships due to non-functional X-ray machine,” sources said.
 “The inadequate facilities make the situation pathetic and at times it becomes difficult to handle mass emergency cases,” they added.
 A group of patients said that they had to spend a huge amount on X-rays outside. “Each X-ray examination costs Rs 140 at the private diagnostic clinic and I had to undergo multiple X-rays which I couldn’t afford so I declined the treatment plan in the hospital,” Shahzada, a patient from Pampore said adding the hospital is now out of reach of poor people.
 According to doctors certain blood investigations, fluid and emergency equipments used for reviving patients are often non-functional or inadequate. “Improvement of emergency medical facilities and infrastructure in the government hospital is one of the demands of the patients,” they said.
 They said upgrading of the emergency lab facilities was required in the hospital given the fact that hundreds of emergency cases come daily.
 “For instance, there is a need for functional first-aid and resuscitation equipment. There is also need for the supply of more fluids in case of mass emergencies. The equipments that are presently needed are, endoscopy suite along with all the necessary equipments, a medical ICU with manpower and machines, Sleep lab and allergy testing lab,” the doctors said.
 Sources said the situation remains more pathetic during night hours as no diagnostic examination is done in the hospital after 4pm. “On night shift there is no technician, who could handle the equipments like ECG, oxygen concentrator etc,” they said.
 Besides, the lack of facilities the unhygienic condition in the hospital gives tough time to patients especially IPD department.
 “Rats rule the roost during night hours as the hospital has become viable place for their hang out,” an employee, wishing anonymity, said. 
 “Patients cannot leave food items in the wards as rats roam in every ward. Authorities were apprised many times about the problem but they didn’t pay any heed,” he said.
 When contacted, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital said they had already placed an order for the equipments and other facilities. “We are waiting for the GMC principal’s nod,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 May 2012 00:00:00 IST