Taking cognisance of shortage of anaesthetists at the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC), the Director General (DG) health services Dr D S Rawat has attached two anaesthesia specialists for the hospital. The DG has attached Dr N S Tomar who at present is deployed at Pandit Deen Dayal Government hospital Dehradun for three days (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) in a week at the associated hospital of GDMC. Similarly the Principal of the Divisional health and family welfare training centre, Dr SPS Negi has been attached in the associated hospital for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The DG has directed the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of State mental health institute Selaqui Dr Kumar Khagendra to serve anaesthesia cases in Government Hospital Prem Nagar for three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). This decision of the health directorate is expected to ease pressure on the associated hospital of GDMC reeling under shortage of anaesthetists.
It is worth mentioning here that a spat between two anaesthetists occurred on Tuesday in the operation theatre. It is alleged that one of the anaesthetists refused to administer anaesthesia to a patient about to be operated. This anesthetist though present in the hospital said that since she is attached in the female ward of the hospital she should not be requested to administer anaesthesia. This infuriated other anesthetist and surgeons. The patients suffered from this spat among the doctors as no surgery was done on the day. The matter was reported to the Principal of the GDMC Dr Pradeep Bharati Gupta and the DG health Dr D S Rawat. Some of the anesthetics of the hospital are attached in female wing due to shortage of doctors there. It is causing problems in the smooth functioning of the Operation Theater (OT) of the hospital where major surgeries are being delayed.
Meanwhile the Head of Department (HOD) of the anaesthesia department Dr Hema Saxena who was embroiled in the verbal spat at Operation Theatre (OT) a day earlier resigned from the post of the department’s head. On Wednesday a meeting of the surgeons and anaesthetists of the associated hospital of GDMC was called by the Medical Superintendent (MS), Dr K K Tamta. In the meeting the CMS informed that Dr Atul (anesthetist) has assisted in 420 operations in last six months while Dr Nutan and Deepika assisted in 242 and 187 cases respectively. Dr Hema Saxena assisted in only 39 cases in last six months. A new duty roaster was prepared in the meeting so that incidence of Tuesday is not repeated.