Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Sept 24: The apprehensions that 'state of the art' Super Specialty Hospital, Jammu is ill-equipped and lacks proper infrastructure to cater to the needs of the patients proved true today when power went off in two operation theaters at the 'prestigious' health institution for at least one hour in the middle of surgeries being performed by Cardio-Thoracic Vascular Surgery (CTVS) Department.
Two patients, including a child and woman lying on operation tables at the SSH, Jammu went through their one of the worst possible experiences in a hospital - a prolonged power cut in the middle of surgeries.
The claims of the Hospital authorities that SSH, Jammu is having state of the art infrastructure were brazenly exposed as when the electricity went off and with no power back-up system during the critical time, the patients undergoing surgeries had to face the ordeal for an hour.
"Most of the surgeries are carried out during the morning and early afternoon hours and when electricity supply snapped today, a 5 year child and a 25 year old female were under the knife at the Cardio-Thoracic Department," well placed sources informed Early Times.
"The patients, including a child, who was being operated for a lung disease and a woman, were under the knife lying unconscious, on critical life-support systems that run on electricity, with their vital organs open- when power went off, plunging the two operation theatres into darkness. Power went off at 9 am, a critical time for surgeries and resumed only at 10 am… There was no power back-up and the doctors had to wait for an hour to restart the surgeries," said sources adding that the doctors including Dr Noor Ali, Head of Department CTVS, Dr Arvind Kohli, Dr Ishtiaq Mir and Dr Vivek Gandotra were performing the surgeries when power supply broke down.
A doctor wishing anonymity said that today's power snap incident is the result of the decision taken in haste by the Medical Education Department to make SSH, Jammu functional without proper infrastructure in place.
"The incident is an eye opener for the authorities, who took a hasty decision to throw open the hospital for the patients without reviewing the facilities and its overall condition…. The glaring example is no provision of power back-up unit to respond in time of emergency…. Life of patients was put at stake in the absence of power back-up…. This is indeed a height of irresponsibility… We literally pleaded with the Minister for Medical Education to delay the opening of SSH till it is fully equipped to run," said the doctor.
"The functioning of the SSH is also marred by adhocism as the job of Medical Superintendent has been entrusted to a novice, who is not entitled to hold the post..… The authorities have not been able to appoint an experienced Medical Superintendent till date which is one of the reasons that SSH is not yet gets fully functional," he added. |
