Srinagar, Sep 19: The lives of neonates are being put to risk at Kashmir’s lone maternity specialty—Lal Ded hospital—with “borrowed doctors” from the children hospital taking care of the 50-bed Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Ironically, with only one permanent consultant has been appointed for the NICU.
 Sources told Greater Kashmir that the NICU ward looks like out of bounds for consultants and trained resident doctors. “The unit is supervised and run by the Pediatrics Department of the Government Medical College Srinagar and doctors including Registrars usually come from GB Pant hospital on rotation basis, creating shortfall of medicos in the GB Pant itself,” they said. The NICU looks after the critically-ill neonates and children.
 According to insiders, the Health and Medical Education Department has received several reminders from the LD Hospital authorities on augmentation of the staff at the NICU. But, they said, all the requests have been turned down for unknown reasons.
 Insiders say the staff augmentation would help the NICU become an independent entity and thereby make its functioning smooth.
 “The requests clearly mentioned that the acute shortage of doctors in the unit is severely affecting its smooth functioning,” said a medico there.
 The LD Hospital authorities have sought specialist doctors for the NICU, apart from adequate number of paramedics and vital equipment.
 The NICU tale has become a matter of discussion in the wake of neonate deaths at the GB Pant Hospital here—exposed a few months back.
 As per the official figures, there are only two doctors (one B-grade specialist (consultant) and one Assistant Surgeon (Medical Officer) working in the NICU permanently. “Rest of the doctors are either borrowed or house surgeons working for a limited time in the hospital,” said an official at LD Hospital, wishing anonymity.  “The trainee doctors are assigned to look after the sensitive ward during night hours which is uncalled for.”
 Sources said only three junior doctors remain present during the night in the critical care ward (NICU). 

Lastupdate on : Wed, 19 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST