In 2016, the government designated Sub District Hospital (SDH) Dooru as a model hospital and shifted the facility to the newly-constructed and well-equipped building. Four years later, the hospital continues to function without specialists.
“It is an irony that patients who visit this facility from far off areas for orthopedic treatment are being treated by a BUMS doctor in the Out Patient Department,” said a medic.
He said that those who were educated enough visit the District Hospital Anantnag although majority of patients of the area visit SDH Dooru for treatment.
“How can a homeopathic doctor prescribe allopathic medicine and that too for such ailments,” a medic questioned. “If there isn’t any orthopedic surgeon at the facility, why deceive poor patients.”
He said the hospital was equipped with a CT Scanner but there was no radiologist to run it.
“The radiologist posted at the hospital visits the facility only once a week while the remaining days investigations are carried by the medical officer and technicians,” he said.
The medic said the facility was still without ophthalmologists and ENT specialists.
“The hospital only has a general surgeon who conducts surgeries twice a week,” the medic said.
He said a single physician is taking care of medicine.
“Even as there are two specialist gynecologists and a medical officer in the maternity department, the caesarian sections are not carried five days a week as the anesthetist is only available two days a week,” the medic said.
He said for the remaining five days a week, patients are referred to the Maternity and Children Hospital (MCCH) Anantnag, burdening it further.
“How can this facility run without anesthetists,” the medic said.
He said the hospital has only one pediatrician.
The facility has a huge catchment area and patients from areas as far as Verinag, Kapran and even the Srinagar-Jammu highway areas of Lower Munda and Qazigund turn up for treatment here.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Anantnag, DrMukhtar Ahmad acknowledged that the facility was understaffed and devoid of specialists.
“I have written to the Directorate of Health for providing an orthopedic, a radiologist and anesthetists,” the CMO said.
However, he said the posts of ENT specialist and ophthalmologist had not been sanctioned for the hospital.