Saturday, 07 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The newly appointed Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal expressed dissatisfaction with the cleanliness standards at Deen Dayal Upadhyay (Coronation) district hospital. Observing substandard hygiene practices, the DM directed the hospital authorities to strictly adhere to established cleanliness norms and ensure the availability of clean drinking water for patients and staff. He directed them to impose a penalty on agencies hired to maintain cleanliness and provide cooked food if they provide substandard services. In a move to assess healthcare services, Bansal arrived in a private vehicle in the hospital at about 9:30 AM. He stood in the queue like a regular citizen to get an OPD slip and personally inspected the hospital’s OPD services. During his inspection, he took stock of the healthcare facilities available to the general public. As soon as hospital officials realised his presence, there was a rush among the staff and by 10 AM, all officials had arrived at the hospital. The DM instructed the medical superintendent of the hospital Anurag Aggarwal to increase the number of counters for medicines and ensure proper signage for doctors in the OPD area. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that patients and their attendants do not face any inconvenience and urged hospital staff to take this matter seriously. The DM also conducted a thorough inspection of various wards, including the NICU, general ward, operation theatre, dengue ward, ICU and emergency ward. He interacted with patients and their attendants to inquire about their well-being and the quality of medical services being provided. He specifically asked patients if they were being prescribed medicines from outside the hospital, to which they responded that no external prescriptions were being issued. The DM also listened to the issues faced by the hospital staff. During his inspection of the operation theatre, he reviewed the medical equipment and directed the hospital administration to submit a proposal for any additional equipment needed. He emphasised the need for continuous monitoring and improvement of hospital services, instructing the CMO and CMS to ensure all facilities are being provided properly. He also stressed the regular presence of personnel at the Asha helpline desk to assist patients. Bansal said that the administration is committed to improving healthcare services and ensuring that the district hospital meets the needs of the public with efficiency and care.
