Lone staff nurse runs dengue, medical ward of Civil Hospital

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 19

The ill-preparedness of the District Health Department has come to the fore while dealing with dengue patients who keep coming to Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

The nonchalant attitude of Health Department officials can well be gauged from the fact that there is only one staff nurse rendering services at the dengue ward that has seen more than 35 admissions (dengue patients) this month (till October 17).

With the lone staff nurse and a ward attendant (for one shift) appointed to look after dozens of patients admitted to the medical ward, the quality of medical services are affected.

Currently, there are 42 patients admitted to the medical ward. Apart from 20 dengue patients, the lone staff nurse also looks after around 22 other patients admitted to the medical ward of the hospital.

Apart from dengue patients who require critical care, patients with stomach problems, diabetes, orthopaedic, fever and chest-related diseases are also admitted to the medical ward.

Things are manageable when on alternate days, nursing students assist the medical staff at the medical ward but when these students are not available, patient care is affected.

As dengue patients have increased manifold, the lone staff nurse is burdened with clerical work most of the time.

She is also responsible for monitoring and administering medicines to patients at regular intervals.

Dengue patients require critical care and regular monitoring but in the absence of adequate staff, they are left to suffer, said an employee, requesting anonymity.

A relative of a dengue patient said, “My son’s condition was critical when he was referred to the Civil Hospital. After administering initial treatment, no one came to us to since yesterday evening. He has been crying in pain for hours since morning. At least a doctor should have come and advised us whether to take him to some private hospital or not.”

The Health Department was caught unawares early this month when more than 75 cases of dengue were reported from the National Colony area.

Civil Surgeon Dr Hari Narain Singh said, “There is a shortage of manpower in the department, so we will see if we can make arrangement of staff at the unit.”