Bathinda: Cancer patients forced to visit private facilities

Bathinda, December 26

The treatment of cancer patients is getting adversely affected as staff nurses, technical staff and ward attendants of Advanced Cancer Institute-cum-Hospital have been agitating for the last one week.

The hospital authorities, which were already grappling with staff shortage, have been finding it very difficult to offer treatment these days.

Trying our best

The work is getting affected due to the ongoing strike of employees. We are trying our best to ensure that patients do not suffer. -- Deepak Arora, Director, Cancer hospital

Cancer patients admitted to indoor patient department (IPD) have been discharged and new patients were being examined only at out patient department (OPD).

As the quality of treatment has also got compromised, critical patients were being forced to visit private hospitals, which in turn charges them exorbitantly. Most of the patients visiting the hospital come from lower strata of society who cannot afford expensive treatment.

The cancer institute not only caters to patients from Bathinda or other districts of Malwa, but also residents from adjoining districts of Haryana and Rajasthan.

Due to the ongoing protest, there’s no staff to work during the night shift and functioning of medical laboratory has also got affected.

An employee on the condition of anonymity said, “It is the patients who are ultimately suffering. The staff have a right to protest, but they must devote some time for welfare of cancer patients.”

Dr Deepak Arora, Director, Advanced Cancer Institute-cum-Hospital, said, “Patients are being examined and chemotherapy sessions are happening. A few units of the hospital are lying non-operational.” — TNS