Shopian: District Hospital Shopian (DHS) is operating without key specialists forcing the patients to visit private hospitals and diagnostic centres, which increases their treatment costs.
An official at the facility said that the hospital was functioning without a radiologist, dermatologist, and ENT specialist.
He said that a radiologist posted at the hospital went for higher studies a few years ago and since then no one has been posted at the facility.
“Similarly, some eight months ago, an ENT specialist resigned from the post of Medical Officer after he was appointed consultant,” the official said.
According to the official, the hospital has been without a dermatologist since it was upgraded to a district hospital a few years ago.
In absence of a radiologist, pregnant women and accident victims have to bear the brunt.
Pregnant women are required to go for ultrasound scans to monitor the growth and development of the foetus.
However, in absence of a radiologist, these women are forced to visit private diagnostic centres, which charge them Rs 500 to Rs 700.
“The amount is unaffordable for poor women,” said a pregnant woman, who was waiting for her turn to perform the scan inside a private diagnostic centre.
A doctor, who declined to be quoted by name, said that many women from marginalised Gujjar communities avoid such scans during their pregnancy as they could not pay the charges.
He said that the accident victims brought to the hospital also need to perform an ultrasound to detect any internal injuries.
“We have to send such patients to Srinagar in an emergency,” he said.
A young motorcyclist from Shopian town, who suffered injuries in an accident a few days ago, said that the doctors referred him to SMHS, Srinagar as he needed a scan.
“Everything was normal but I had to rush to Srinagar merely to perform an ultrasound scan. The private clinics in the town were also shut,” he said.
Another doctor at the DHS said that they could not treat the patients with skin diseases as the facility was bereft of a dermatologist.
“The hospital administration has written to higher-ups umpteen times but to no avail,” he said.