Lack of hygiene at GMCH, patients suffer

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 15

At Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Jammu, lack of hygiene is posing a threat to the lives of patients.

In the spine ward, the foul smell emitting from leaking sewage pipes is giving a hard time to patients and attendants. The smell is unbearable and any person who enters the ward is forced to wear a mask. The patients and attendants, however, have no choice but to stay in the insanitary conditions.

The toilets in the ward are also in a bad condition.

“Since the time my wife was shifted to this ward, sanitation has not improved. Sometimes, the attendants leave the ward when the smell becomes unbearable. But we have to be here and look after our patients,” said Hablu whose wife Shabnam Begum was critically injured in the Kishtwar accident on September 14 and remains admitted to the ward.

The GMCH authorities say lack of funds from the government was causing the problem.

“We are aware of the problem. Pipes leading towards the gutter are leaking and release a foul smell. We need to repair the sewage pipes as well as the toilets but for that we need money,” said Dr Dara Singh, medical superintendent of the hospital.

“The executive engineer of the GMCH has sent a proposal to the government five or six months ago for approval of Rs 1.3 crore for the repair of sewage lines and bathrooms. The GMCH principal has also sent a reminder to the government but there has been no response,” he said.

The medical superintendent said the GMCH had received some money from the Centre for construction of a spine centre and there was an option for the civil work in the project as well. “We are mulling over utilising the money meant for civil work on the repair work in the spine ward,” he said.