At a time when tertiary care hospitals in Kashmir are bearing huge load of patients, there have been demands over the years for the upgradation of the hospitals for the convenience and better care of patients. Principal Government Medical College Srinagar Prof.Parvaiz Ahmad Shah in an interview with Rising Kashmir’s Health Correspondent Mansoor Peer talks about what has changed in the major tertiary care hospitals over the years to meet the expectations of patients.

Excerpts

• In J&K no hospital has got National Accreditation Board of Hospital (NABH) recognition as of now? Why so?

We are working to meet the parameters of hospitals to get the NABH accreditation. The Super Speciality Hospital, Srinagar is likely to get the accreditation. There is some paper work pending. It is almost completed.

• There is shortage of nurses in every associated hospital of GMC Srinagar. What are you doing about it?

Recently, we have recruited nearly 70 nurses who have been posted in the associated hospitals. There is need of recruiting more nurses given the load of patients. We are trying to fill all the vacant posts.

• There is shortage of ICUs in hospitals. Is there is any plan to improve the same?

Across the country,two to five percent beds should be earmarked for Intensive Care Units (ICUs). For some time, the concept of ICU was far from Kashmir hospitals. Now, we have medical and surgical ICUs. We have 27-bedded ICUs in the associated hospitals that include cardiac, paediatric and neonatal ICU.

Recently we started a medical ICU at Super Speciality Hospital with adequate nursing staff. Apart from ICUs, we also have High Dependency Unit (HDU) in the form of triage where all acute patients are treated round the clock.

• What are reasons for poor data management at the GMC hospitals?

I do agree and for that we need to train manpower. But we have upgraded it. There has been a change in the previous decade. Yes, it needs upgradation and we are working towards it. Now we have computerised OPD and IPD reports.

• There are complaints that specialist doctors are not available in OPDs?

Such allegations are baseless. Our senior consultants are always in the outpatient department and major specialities run from 10 to 4 pm. Super specialities OPDs also run separately from 10 to 2 pm and after that consultants remain available on call.

• Cancer patients demand PET scan facility at SMHS. Shall they expect any relief?

We have submitted a proposal to the government for installing a PET scan facility at SMHS hospital. It is under government’s consideration.

• Some doctors argue that GMC lags behind in research and doctors mostly remain busy with patient care. How do you react to such arguments?

GMC Srinagar is the oldest hospital in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a high volume hospital. Despite huge patients load, the research activities are carried out and research papers are presented by the faculty members across the world.

• There are demands for the relocation of the Chest Disease hospital as it runs in unsafe, old-fashioned buildings. Is there any such plan?

The government is working on it and a new place is being earmarked for it. The new site should be in tune with Medical Council of India (MCI) recommendations. We can’t go against the norms. We are getting more sites for its relocation.

• LalaDed(LD) maternity hospital is bearing huge patient load. Do you have any plans to improve its infrastructure?

The administration is trying to improve the infrastructure in all the associated hospitals of GMC Srinagar. In this direction bed strength at LD with new 200-bedded block has been sanctioned. It would be a state-of-art flood proof building having all the modern facilities.

Also, the under construction 500-bedded paediatric hospital at Bemina is likely to be commissioned with state of art machinery and facilities for patients.

• Are blood banks of GMC associated certified?

The blood banks of all the associated hospitals of GMC Srinagar are certified by the competent authority. If our blood banks are not valid our MBBS would not be recognised.

• Few years back there were some attempts to open an eye bank at SMHS hospital. Is there any such proposal?

The ophthalmology department is already doing Cornea transplant. In this, our hospital has taken lead as compared to Jammu.

• SMHS Hospital’s triage is not functioning properly. Why?

It is functioning.

• GMC had asked its associated hospitals to create social media cells to solve patient grievances. Those were not created?

Complaint boxes are located in all hospitals. Apart from that, patients are coming directly to the concerned medical superintendents and complaints are resolved immediately. We will try to make the online social media cells active.

• There is shortage of staff at SMHS causality?

There is shortage of nurses and paramedical staff in the causality. It is not as per the recommended norms. We will take up the matter of poor manpower with higher ups of Health and Medical Department for its augmentation.

• What about academic arrangement employees who haven’t been regularised? Is there any policy for them?

They are working under an SRO. They had been given extension some. Some of them are there on court orders and their case is sub-judice. We have taken their case with the Health and Medical Education Department.

• What about upgradation of Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS). It has been successful in producing drug de-addiction policy?

The new building at IMHANS, which has been inspected, is almost complete and it would be functional within next two months. The manpower for the hospital has been recruited.

• How do you manage Ayushman Bharat at a time when there is no internet?

We don’t allow patients to suffer. We are making extra effort to get them registered online. Patients having golden cards aren’t denied treatment. Patients who have already registered are receiving benefits and that staff is working extremely hard.

• How do you see the opening of five new medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir?

It is a good beginning. It would show its results soon. It will improve medical education and would accommodate more students who otherwise had to go outside for studies. It would also help to strengthen medical facilities at peripheries. In the long run, it would reduce the patient load on tertiary care hospitals which is the major issue we are facing this time.

• What are future plans of GMC Srinagar that it wants to achieve in the next five years?

Our major target is further upgradation of the medical college, augmentation of research activities, and facilitation in patient management including diagnosis.