Omar Abdullah, where goes the pediatric hospital? ABID HAFIZ Srinagar, July 31: (GNS) Even after passing of a year Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s assurance of setting up of new children’s hospital has remained in just words. Omar had, last year, claimed that a pediatric hospital, on the modern lines, would be set up near Bemina on the outskirts of Srinagar City. In a recent report on infant mortality rate submitted before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the Medical Superintendent of Valley’s sole children’s hospital has noted that death rate among children admitted to G B Pant Hospital for three-month period from April to June this year has risen to 5.44 per cent compared to 3.5 per cent for the same period last year. Last year state government, in a high level meeting, gave nod for construction of a new 250-bed children hospital near Bemina and a 200-bed maternity hospital, but the proposal, till date, has only remained on documents causing patients to suffer severely who have to visit outside state for treatment. Dr Altaf Hussain, a renowned pediatrician and member of Coalition of Civil Societies while talking to Srinagar based news gathering agency GNS said it is extremely shameful that our politicians are playing with the life of our children. “Last year, state government had assured us of the construction of new children hospital within no time but the truth is they only know how to hoodwink the people,” Dr. Altaf said. “As far as healthcare system is concerned it is a disgrace that Jammu and Kashmir lags far behind as compared to Bihar,” noted social activist Zareef Ahmad Zareef told GNS. “On one hand, our children are incessantly dying due to non-availabilit y of better health care system in the state and, on other; crores of funds are being spent on the luxuries life of our bureaucrats. What kind of governance is this?” Zareef added. While talking to Minister of Medical Education, Taj Mohi Ud Din, said, “Hospitals can’t be set up in days; it will take time to get constructed. We have to look out for land and funds. We are working on it and the project will be started soon.” Meanwhile, the Chief minister Omar Abdullah while approving the proposal of the department of health and medical education last year had given two weeks’ time for finalizing building construction plan along with Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the two hospitals to be built over an area of 3.5 hectares. It is also pertinent to mention here that more than 380 children have died at the Valley’s sole pediatric hospital G B Pant hospital last year, while as 895 had died during the year 2011. (GNS)
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 18:03:16 +0000