G’bl district hospital has just 1 ventilator

Amid the coronavirus threat, doctors of different hospitals here said they have not been provided protective gears, accusing the government of endangering their lives.

An official said many healthcare facilities includingprimary health centres, sub district hospital Kangan and district hospitalGanderbal lack basic safety kits including masks, sanitizers, gloves, gowns andpersonal protection equipments.

   

A doctor, wishing not to be named, said they have notreceived any supply of masks, sanitizers, gloves and other safety kits despiterepeated pleas,

He said the authorities concerned have instead asked them topurchase the safety gears from the open market under hospital funds.

An administrator of one of the hospital said they somehowmanaged to procure some masks for the staff.

“But they are not adequate. We receive many patients withflu-like symptoms and it is necessary to have adequate protection whilehandling such cases,” said a doctor.

Another doctor at sub district hospital Kangan said theypurchased some necessary items from hospital development fund (HDF) but thesupply was insufficient. He said they have not received any supply from thegovernment yet.

The authorities have set up some Isolation Wards for thesuspected Covid-19 cases but these facilities lack required equipments andsafety tools.

A doctor said the district hospital Ganderbal was equippedwith only one ventilator.

“We are now mulling to use it in the Isolation Ward forcoronavirus infected patients in case of any emergency,” he said.

The hospital has suspended IPD and OPD and the institute hasbeen declared as an isolation facility.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Ganderbal Dr Masrat said theysupplied “some” masks and other supplies to all hospitals.

The medical officers have been asked to purchase thenecessary items from the market till the government supply was received, theCMO said.

Deputy Commissioner, Shafqat Iqbal acknowledged shortage ofventilators in the hospitals. “We have released the funds to purchase some ventilators,”he said.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

sixteen − 4 =