In terms of rush of patients and mismanagement, the condition of District Women’s Hospital Dehradun is no different from its big neighbour Doon Hospital. The women’s hospital caters to a large number of patients from the State and districts of Uttar Pradesh like Saharanpur.
To accommodate the ever-rising number of patients, the hospital increased the beds in the hospital to 190 against sanctioned 111 beds. The hospital gets staff and other facilities on the sanctioned number of beds. The hospital data suggests that the 300-400 patients visit the hospital daily. The women patients could be seen standing in long queues outside the Out Patient Departments (OPD) and the Sonography section.
The hospital has two general OPDs, one Pediatric (Children) OPD and One family planning OPD, the patients have to wait for hours in the long queues outside these OPDs to see the doctors. Seema Thapa of Jakhan said that she is waiting for more than three hours but her turn has not arrived yet. She charged that the doctors see the influential patients out of turn causing problems to others. Shanti Devi of Doiwala said that the behaviour of doctors and other staff of the hospital is very bad towards the patients. She said that if the doctor prescribes some test than the patients have to revisit the hospital which is very difficult to them.
Interestingly, there is only one radiologist posted in the biggest women’s hospital of the State. “The lone radiologist conducts sonography on 80-100 patients daily,” radiologist Dr SM Shukla told The Pioneer, adding at least two radiologists should be deployed in the hospital to meet the heavy rush of patients. The condition is so bad that there is waiting list of 14-16 days for sonography patients. The Medical Health department attached one Radiologist Dr Subodh Nautiyal from Mussoorie to this hospital in month of April but he was soon transferred to Pauri.
During the short period of the stay two radiologists had managed to clear the waiting list of Sonography. It is worth mentioning here that instead of joining the new posting Dr Nautiyal preferred to go on a long leave. When contacted the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Doon Female hospital, Dr Chandra Pant said that more staff is needed in the hospital which is referral centre. She said that she has demanded to provide at least one more radiologist, anesthetist and surgeon to the Director General Medical Health.