Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Feb 29 : The shortage of ambulances in district hospital Bandipora has hit the healthcare system in the district badly compelling patients to reach hospital in private transport during emergent situations.
News agency KNO reported, attendants at the district hospital Bandipora accused health department of callous approach towards serving the patients in the area. They said in majority of cases, doctors refer patients to Srinagar hospitals like SKIMS, Bone and Joint hospital, Lal Ded and SMHS.
“To reach the district hospital first, it takes us hours and to reach Srinagar hospitals after being referred, there are no ambulances available,” a group of attendants told.
“This Hospital have large number of patients but unavailability of sufficient number of ambulances has hit patient referral from here,” said a doctor of the hospital while attending the patients, insisting not to be named by name.
A female doctor at the hospital said that there should have been at least ten ambulances here as most of the pregnancy and emergency cases are referred to the other hospitals.
While talking to news agency, a critical-care ambulance driver wishing anonymity, said that he driving with a patients at least three times a day to Srinagar hospitals since past one month. “The hospital needs more ambulances at the earliest given the patient rush here,” she said, pleading anonymity.
An official in district hospital Bandipora said that Medical Block Bandipora has 22 ambulances and in district hospital only six ambulances are available of which one of them being in bad condition and another one in cargo-Police custody Srinagar sine past one month.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Bandipora Tajamul Hussain said that there are few of the ambulances that are lying defunct and need immediate repair reported news agency KNO.
