Authorities at Lal Ded hospital on Saturday shot a letter to Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) highlighting “unnecessary referrals” received by the tertiary care maternal institute from district hospitals, seeking an end to the practice.
The letter highlights case of a pregnant woman, referred from Kupwara district hospital which had been described as “complicated” by the doctors. However the LD has raised question over the referral, citing the patient had “all parameters normal” and later delivered normally.
This is for the first time that authorities at the LD Hospital have taken up matter of unnecessary referrals with DHSK. The development takes place days after death of a newborn on roadside here after the baby’s mother had been “denied” admission at the city hospital.
“The patient has been referred as grandmultipara (5+ pregnancy) but in reality the patient is only gravid III (third pregnancy)”, the letter states.
A doctor said the patient had been mentioned as “anemic” in the referral while as her hemoglobin is “12 and acceptable for her condition”.
Interestingly the patient had a normal delivery on Friday, the hospital authorities said. The letter states that even the baby was of “absolutely good size” and the patient had delivered normally in her previous two pregnancies and there was no indication that could have warranted a referral.
“This is one of the countless unjustified referrals which are being made to this hospital on a daily basis resulting in converting this tertiary-care hospital into a dumping yard” the letter laments.
A senior gynaecologist at the Hospital said the hospital continues to bear the brunt of unnecessary referrals from peripheries. “If they (district hospital) cannot manage even a normal delivery, let them depute their staff to LD Hospital so that we are able to cater to every woman they send to us,” the doctor said.
She said the patient, who is speech and hearing impaired, had to bear the unnecessary brunt of delivering far from home. “Why should patients be forced to travel 100 kms for a health service that should be available to her at door steps?” the doctor asked.
The authorities have sought action against the “erring doctor for violating the directions of referrals to LD Hospital”.
The directorate has also been asked to “recall” directions of Government that whenever a patient is referred to LD Hospital, the referral must bear name, signature, seal, designation and registration number of the doctor concerned. “This protocol has been violated in the instant case despite clear cut directions from the government,” said the doctor.
Dr Kunzes Dolma, director health services Kashmir said steps were being taken to strengthen maternity services in peripheries. “We are filling all vacant position of consultant on priority,” she said while adding that all hospitals in district Kupwara that had shortage of staff were being “managed” with roasters. She further many peripheral hospitals required upgrading. “In future that man be recommended,” she said.