Darjeeling, Dec. 11: The Bijanbari Rural
Hospital was shut today “till further notification” because of absence
of doctors, says a notice issued by a health officer who asked the
public to “take medical care”.
The closure of the
inpatient and outpatient departments of the 32-bed hospital that caters
for the financially backward people in Bijanbari block has brought to
focus vacancies that haven’t been filled up for long.
A notice put up
outside the hospital by Tapas Sarkar, the block medical officer of
health, Bijanbari, reads: “It is hereby notify to state that all the
General Public who regularly atten OPD & IPD at Bijanbari Rural
Hospital to take Medical Care, that out patient Department and IN
patient department will be closed from 11th Dec. 2013 till further
notification as because of very much shortage of DOCTOR in this
institution. All the higher authorities have already been informed about
the matter.”
Any medical
professional attached to government hospitals in the Darjeeling hills
couldn’t recollect an instance where people were advised by a health
officer to “take medical care” because of absence of doctors.
Sources in the
hospital said of the sanctioned strength of eight doctors, only two were
at the facility. “Although the block medical officer is also posted
here, he is mostly involved in administrative matters. One of the
doctors has been on maternity leave since October while the other one
fell ill on Tuesday and is on sick leave. That is why the outpatient and
inpatient departments didn’t function today,” said a source.
The block medical officer, Sarkar, had to go to a court in Darjeeling today for a hearing.
The source said
several other problems had been plaguing the hospital for long. “There
has been no technician to operate an X-Ray machine for the past
one-and-a-half year. A technician for ECG works four days a week at the
Siliguri District Hospital and spends two days at Bijanbari. A dentist
also works for four days at Kurseong hospital. Both the ECG technician
and the dentist are supposed to be posted at Bijanbari as they draw the
salary from this hospital,” said the source.
Of the 24 sanctioned posts for Group D staff, 13 are vacant. Although the hospital requires 12 nurses, only nine are appointed.
Local people said the ambulance service at the hospital was also erratic.
Bijanbari is 35km from here.
Mukti Ram
Sharma,who had come for an OPD check-up, today said: “It’s a sad state
of affairs that the hospital cannot even keep the OPDs open. The closure
of the department tells the entire story.”
Subhir Bhowmick,
the chief medical officer of health, Darjeeling, said the issue had been
sorted out. “I signed an order today deputing a doctor from the
Sukhiapokhri hospital to Bijanbari. The doctor on sick leave has also
joined,” said Bhowmick.
It couldn’t be confirmed if the two doctors took charge today.
Seven patients,
including five women, were admitted to the hospital today. Deo Kumari
Thami, a day wage worker from Chungthung, has been admitted with high
blood pressure. “Well, the doctors had come yesterday for a check-up.
But, no doctor turned up today. Whether the doctor turns up or not, I
have to stay here as I cannot afford to go to private hospitals,” said
Thami.
Source: The Telegraph