AARYAN SHARMA
JAMMU: Premises of Government Medical College Hospital has been converted into a muddy ‘political arena’ by the State politicians to settle political scores and defame each other.
Recently when the college authorities decided to seal the CT Scan centre set up inside the GMC Hospital on Public Private Partnership (PPP) more than two years ago it left needy patients high and dry.
Allegations related to certain irregularities and exorbitant fees also surfaced on the basis of which GMC authorities were forced to act fast and seal the centre.
The decision to seal the centre was taken by the GMC Principal Dr Zahid Geelani after receiving report of the high powered committee, which had investigated the allegations of excessive fee and other irregularities.
At the time of offering the diagnostic services several senior faculty members had raised serious objections but the same were over-ruled and green signal was given to set up the centre.
After the centre was closed down new revelations related to functioning of the CT scan centre has put the entire State Government machinery including the incharge minister under the scanner.
Nexus between the senior faculty, private diagnostic centres and politicians cannot be ruled out as in the past hapless patients were exploited by these centres to earn easy money by paying hefty commissions to doctors referring them to these centres.
The sitting Health Minister has failed to set the house in order and has been taking a lenient view instead of taking firm action against the vested interests. One of the CT scan machines of CD Hospital is out of order for over one month now but the concerned authorities were not worried nor did anything significant to carry out necessary repair works.
Question marks have also been raised on the policy of the State Government to provide better health care facilities to needy patients at affordable prices.
In the absence of CT scan facilities not only poor patients are suffering but many among those admitted in the hospital are also struggling to lay their hands on their reports.
This is because when the centre was sealed the care takers of the patients were not informed in time to collect their reports nor the same were delivered to them in their wards. These patients had to undergo harassment at the hands of same authorities where they are receiving treatment.
At the same time, the management of the company which had invested money in setting up the centre and the hospital authorities have stopped interacting with each other. Even the MOU signed between the two parties was also cancelled without any prior notice.
Inside reports claimed the decisions taken by the former health ministers have been reviewed by the sitting minister and wherever any scope of improvement is there the minister is trying to exercise his control and rectify the systems in place.
Earlier, medical stores opened in the hospital premises were closed down and the matter was dragged to the court of law and now in this case too the aggrieved parties are toying with the idea of knocking at the door steps of the court of law to earn justice for themselves and poor patients suffering at the hands of the vested interests in the Health Department.
