Expected numbers of patients are not turning up at the Gandhi Centenary Eye Hospital (GCEH) located at Dalanwala area of the State capital.
To ease the excessive patient load of the Associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC), the authorities had shifted some doctors from associated hospital to GCEH. The Chief Minister Harish Rawat inaugurated the GCEH on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. However, things on ground indicate that the State health department worked in haste to start the hospital.
The boundary wall of the hospital is yet to be completed and finishing work is still going on in the hospital. The hospital is waiting for nursing, paramedical and other staff required for minimum services.
On Monday, a day after inauguration, 89 patients visited the hospital while on Tuesday and Wednesday 36 and 38 patients visited the hospital respectively.
Interestingly while the doctors especially eye specialists waited for patients at this hospital, the load of entire OPD of 200 odd patients was on shoulders of a lone Senior Resident at the associated hospital of GDMC.
The health department has shifted three eye specialists Dr Roopleen, Dr Sweta and Dr Akansha from associated hospital to GCEH. The hospital is yet to receive any ward boy or sanitation worker from health department.
Two retired eye specialists Dr NH Jangpangi and Dr lM Sundariyal would also be soon deployed in the hospital. Apart from eye specialists two physicians Dr Mukesh Sundariyal and Dr Parvin Panwar of Associated hospital of GDMC are also deputed in the hospital along with senior dermatologist Dr Anil Arya.
The patients who are visiting the hospital were happy with the infrastructure and individual attention given to them in the hospital. The patients are provided with free medicines in the hospital. The ophthalmologists are also conducting eye tests of the people in need of a medical certificate.
The incharge of GCEH and consultant ophthalmologist Dr RC Nagpal told The Pioneer that four nursing staff, four paramedics and two pharmacists would soon be provided to the hospital.
He said that the health department would also provide two computer operators in the hospital after which computerised registration would start in the hospital.
Dr Nagpal claimed that best facilities would be provided in the hospital so that patients coming from remote and mountainous areas get world class treatment in Dehradun.
He said that specialists for Keratoplasty, Uvea, retina, pediatric ophthalmology and neuro ophthalmology would also be recruited in the eye hospital. Dr Nagpal informed that the process of the sterilisation of Operation Theatres (OT) is going on after which the hospital would start conducting eye surgeries.
The hospital has four major and two minor OTs with an in house capacity to keep 154 patients. The
hospital is expected to function in its full capacity from November 9.