Srinagar, Nov 04 : Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Thursday urged Jammu and Kashmir (JK) administration to start a heating system in Kashmir hospitals as the patients are suffering due to the chill.
With temperatures dipping, DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan said patients are shivering with cold as the heating system of hospitals has not been started yet.
“The bone-chilling cold in hospitals is making life difficult for ailing patients,” he said.
The DAK President said tertiary care and peripheral hospitals are without heating putting lives of patients at risk.
“Cardiac and Stroke patients in hospitals are at increased risk of death as cold thickens blood and constricts the arteries,” he said.
“Even the condition of Asthmatics and patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Diseases worsens in hospitals because of cold conditions,” he added.
Vice-President DAK Dr Mir Mohd Iqbal said the icy conditions in hospitals increase the risk of expectant mothers having premature delivery. “Children and elderly are especially prone to hypothermia that can lead to respiratory and cardiac dysfunction and even death,” he said.
General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said it is difficult for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to work in icy-cold conditions especially during night hours when temperatures reach close to freezing point.
“The majority of the peripheral hospitals are without inbuilt central heating systems and they rely on traditional heaters without vent which do harm than good to patients,” he said.
Spokesperson DAK Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga said hospital administrators seem to be insensitive to the sufferings of patients. “They enjoy in their cozy heated chambers and are least bothered about the miseries of people,” he added.
