MANSI BHAMBRI/ Dehradun
Despite repeated instructions and surprise inspections by the Health minister Subodh Uniyal to improve patient care, conditions at the government hospitals continue to remain poor and pathetic.
In a recent incident, an elderly destitute man visited Deen Dayal Upadhyay District Hospital on Thursday, but the hospital administration allegedly refused to admit him. It is learnt that the man was left unattended, without treatment and he had to spent the entire day and night on a road inside the hospital premises.
According to sources, the elderly patient arrived at the hospital between 2 PM and 3 PM on Thursday. He was reportedly taken to the emergency ward of the hospital but after some time he was seen lying on the road leading to the ward.
The eyewitnesses informed that the elderly patient had difficulty in walking and speaking remained there through the day and night until Friday morning, when he reportedly left the hospital premises. The man was alone, with no family members accompanying him.
This incident has raised serious questions about emergency care services at the district hospital. Regarding this incident, many visitors at the Hospital have expressed concern that if the poor are not receiving the treatment that hospitals are meant to provide, then the system needs to be revamped. Authorities should act regarding this matter, they pointed out.
Responding to the incident, the principal medical superintendent (PMS) at the hospital Dr Manu Jain told The Pioneer that no such incident happened. “I have asked the emergency medical officer on duty on Thursday if any such elderly man had visited the emergency department in the afternoon and the officer claimed that no such person had arrived,’’ he said. Dr Jain said that he could not take action on the incident since the facts were unclear and the emergency medical officer asserted that no such man had visited the hospital that day.
However, while the PMS made this claim, a security personnel at the hospital, speaking on the condition of anonymity contradicted him completely. He confirmed that he saw the said man in the hospital. Additionally, other employees of the hospital expressed concern, stating that the said elderly man was seen at the hospital premises. The Pioneer is also in possession of a video in which the elderly hapless patient is seen lying on a road inside the hospital premises.
