People visiting Community Health Center (CHC) Sumbal are throwing cautions to the wind by not maintaining social distancing here, despite the government’s repeated pleas amid COVID19 pandemic.
Being the lone health center, which is presently catering toa huge population of around 40 villages, the CHC visit high footfall andauthorities fail ensure social distancing among the visitors.
An eyewitness said long queues of people standing close toeach other are a daily scene at the CHC. He accused the authorities of failingto address the issue.
“Imagine the consequences, if one COVID19 patient isstanding in the queue. Who should be blamed for the spread of the virus then,”asked the eyewitness.
Doctors working at the centre said it was police’s failureto ensure people visiting the facility follow the advisory.
“What shall we do? Watch people visiting the Centre tomaintain social distance or attend to the patients? It is the job of on-dutypolicemen to take care of social distancing and not the doctors,” a doctorsaid.
Medical Superintendent (MS), CHC, DrMuzafar Ahmad Khan said”social distancing fails here.” “Despite our area witnessing surge in newcases, people don’t understand significance of social distancing.”
Recently, a government order from Chief Medical OfficeBandipora directed all the doctors and paramedical staff posted at PHCs/NTPHCs/Uds/Sub-Centres (except NTPHC Nowgam /Naidkhai and Ajas) to attendtheir duties at the CHC.
In case of dereliction of duties by any doctor underDisaster Management Act 2005 will be initiated against them.” “As a result, the CHC and CHC Sumbal cameunder a lot of strain,” said a paramedical staff member, Bisma. “We already lacked the staff and now thisrush of patients is overburdening us.”
Attendant, Rafiqa Begum from Naidkhai, complained that dueto rush, she could not get her daughter checked who is carrying six monthspregnancy.
Locals urged the government to act fast so that anyspreading of the deadly disease in the hospital could be prevented.
Medical Superintendent, Dr Khan said they have alreadyissued a notice, urging people not to visit the hospital unnecessarily. “Idon’t understand, why our requests aren’t being heard,” the MS said.