Staff shortage: Only one ventilator functional at SMGS Hospital

Staff shortage
Only one ventilator functional at SMGS Hospital
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 19
Due to the shortage of staff, only one ventilator of the local Shri Maharaja Ghulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital here is functional.

The 550-bedded hospital has two ventilators, one at the labour room and the other at the paediatrics block. However, the ventilator at the paediatrics block, which was purchased a year ago for Rs 8 lakh, is non-functional in the absence of specialised doctors and the paramedical staff.

Patients requiring artificial respiratory support are being shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), which is already facing a heavy rush of patients.

Though everyday about 1,200 patients visit the OPDs of the hospital, 100 patients are admitted to various wards and 60 deliveries and 60 major/minor operations are performed, the non-functioning of the ventilator raises questions about the hospital’s management.

“The hospital is facing manpower shortage, thus causing problems to the patients. Though the higher authorities are aware of the problem, the decision to fill vacancies is to be taken by the state government. Hence, we refer the patients requiring artificial respiratory support to the GMCH,” said Dr Reva Gupta, acting Chief Medical Officer of the hospital. She added that they were awaiting the recruitment of more staff.

The attendants of some patients alleged that the hospital was not being managed properly. “Whenever there is any complication, the attendants have to shift their patients to private hospitals,” said Dhiraj Raina, who was accompanying a patient.

However, Dr Romesh Gupta, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, denied that a ventilator was non-functional and the patients were being inconvenienced. “All the machines in the hospital are functioning properly,” he said.

Courtesy: The Tribune