Srinagar, July 22: Expectant mothers are facing repeated delays at LD hospital Srinagar with those infected with covid-19 left at the mercy of “unaccountable” staff.
A number of people complained about myriad problems at the Kashmir Valley’s biggest maternity hospital on paper.
“There is absolutely no accountability for the staff. There is mess everywhere. It seems doctors and the other staff are not accountable to any authority,” they said, adding, “Even the routine ‘rounds’ by doctors are delayed by two hours due to the reasons best known to the authorities concerned. Most of the times doctors arrive late and whether or not there is any accountability for them is also best known to the authorities” they said, adding, “See the condition of the wards. They are horribly untidy,” they said.
Facing the ‘brunt of the administrative inertia’ are expectant mothers who are infected with covid-19 and they are being kept “waiting and waiting” in the isolation ward set up for in the hospital.
“From nearly three days we have been repeated told that required medical procedures either caesareans and birth inductions or, whatever terminology they use, will be done but same is delayed on one or the other pretext,” said an attendant of the expectant mother from Srinagar. “Such a system has been created that everyone, patient and attendant, appears helpless. There is absolutely nowhere to go and hospital authorities are not reachable at all.” They urged higher authorities to look into the problems and try to fix responsibility so that no person is subjected to such an “agony as expectant mothers and their attendants face in contemporary times.”
When contacted and informed about the complaints Dr. Muzaffar Hussain Sherwani said: “There is isolation ward for covid-19 patients and required staff is deputed there. In fact on July 21 I have deputed one more in-charge there.”
Despite repeated attempts Director Health Services Kashmir could not be contacted for the comments.
