Srinagar, April 22: People from various areas of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have accused the government doctors of referring patients to private clinics for USG procedures.
The patients who spoke with Rising Kashmir said, “When we visit government hospitals, we are frequently advised to carry out USG at private clinics, which can be financially burdensome for those with limited resources.”
“The practice is rampant in many areas of Baramulla like Pattan, Kreeri, Kunzer and in peripheries where there are CHCs and PHCs,” said Shoib Ahmad, a resident of Pattan.
He said if the government has provided USG facilities at Sub-District Hospitals and PHCs, there should also be qualified radiologists to operate them. However, this necessary step has not been implemented yet.
Similar complaints have also poured in from Tangmarg, Magam where people also complain that most of the time, the patients in government hospitals are asked to repeat the USGs in private clinics for reasons best known to them.
“We have been seeing this practice here for a long time. The Health Department should wake up and conduct drives against the doctors found referring patients to private clinics,” said Ishfaq Ahmad from Tangmarg.
The patients questioned, “If there are USG machines in hospitals, why the government does not post professional radiologists for the same? This is taking a toll on patient care.”
They said the health department has not launched any campaign to identify unscrupulous government doctors referring patients to private hospitals or asking them to buy medicines from the open market.
Health professionals said the government was aware of the shortage of radiologists in Jammu and Kashmir. They said the shortfall is yet to be covered.
As per health officials, in the entire Baramulla district, there are only two radiologists (postgraduate): one posted at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla and another at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Sopore.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla, Dr Mastoora said USG tests are conducted by radiologists. He added that there is a shortage of radiologists in government hospitals.
For other hospitals, the CMO said that to meet the requirement, the government had started a three-month sonology course under internal adjustment for staff.
“Lack of radiologists could be one of the reasons. If doctors are sending patients to private clinics for simple USG and normal sonology then there must be some other reason. I will confirm it and make sure that for normal or routine USGs, patients are not sent to private clinics. I will ensure that such things are discouraged and regulated,” she said.
On the other side, there are not enough female radiologists in hospitals. About the shortage of radiologists in some valley hospitals, a senior official admitted the shortage in some places. “We have radiologists in district hospitals and at the CHC level as well. Outside J&K there are radiologists at district hospitals only,” the official said.
