Dialysis unit non-functional for want of staff; patients suffer

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 13

In the absence of a permanent doctor and a lab technician, the dialysis unit of the Civil Hospital has been lying non-functional for more than a week now. As a result, dozens of patients are forced to spend thousands of rupees to get the dialysis done from private hospitals.

According to sources, the lab technician appointed at the unit has gone on leave for two months from July 4 onwards. Moreover, no permanent doctor has been appointed at the unit for more than a year now. And a medicine doctor is called from the general OPD unit of the hospital each time a patient is administered dialysis at the unit.

Currently, there is one staff nurse appointed at the dialysis unit against the requirement of one medicine doctor (with special training in dialysis), one lab technician, one class-IV employee and a sweeper to run the unit.

Sources said Harcharan Singh, a lab technician appointed at the unit, would retire later this year. He had gone on long leave, but the Health Department did not make adequate arrangements to ensure that the dialysis unit is kept running unhindered. As a result, patients requiring dialysis are asked to get it done from private labs/hospital in the city.

With core work for the unit not taking place, the staff nurse is busy maintaining stocks and getting the maintenance work done for the medical equipment here.

Ramesh Kumar, a relative accompanying a patient, said, “We were getting the dialysis done at the Civil Hospital till last month, but for the past week we were denied saying that staff were on leave. Left with no option, we had to spend Rs 6,000 to get dialysis done twice from a private hospital in the city. The patient is a labourer and paying such a hefty amount for dialysis is really difficult for him. I am not sure how he will continue his treatment now.”

Dialysis is a process of removing excess water, solutes and toxins from the blood of patients whose native kidneys have lost the ability to perform these functions in a natural way. This is also called renal replacement therapy.

Civil Surgeon Dr Hari Narain Singh said, “There is shortage of manpower at the unit as of now. I will check the exact status from the SMO of the Civil Hospital to further comment on the matter.”