PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
The death of a man at Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) Hospital and the death of another patient during kidney dialysis at the same have exposed the poor state of healthcare facilities in Uttarakhand, alleged Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD).
Venting anger over these deaths, the UKD vice-president Shanti Prasad Bhatt said that the crumbling healthcare in the State has been further revealed by a GDMC doctor receiving treatment at a private hospital. “These raise serious questions over the facilities available at government hospitals. Further, it shows that even the government doctors do not have confidence in the treatment facilities provided at the hospitals they work in. Things could hardly be worse,” he said.
Notably, a patient named Om Raghveer (47), hailing from a remote area of Rudraprayag district, had died at GDMC Hospital at around 4:20 AM on July 28.
“The poor health facilities and difficult terrain delayed his treatment. After he suffered a heart attack, he was first taken to the district hospital Rudraprayag, then referred to Base Hospital Srinagar, AIIMS Rishikesh and Indresh Hospital in Dehradun. Eventually, he was taken to GDMC Hospital. This exposes the vulnerability of the people inhabiting the mountainous regions. Many mountainous areas still lack proper emergency medical services, ambulances and specialist doctors. Equally alarming is the fact that the man received practically no treatment at GDMC Hospital which is considered the premier medical facility in the provisional State capital,” he added.
Expressing anguish over the statehood dream remaining unfulfilled despite the passage of 25 years, Bhatt said that medical and other needs of the people living in the mountainous areas are still being ignored.
