Uttarakhand: 20 Deaths in 6 Months Have Raised Concerns over Doctor Appointments and Cleanliness

A recent surprise inspection of the Dialysis Centre at Haldwani's Base Hospital in Uttarakhand, which is run under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), was carried out by Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat. The inspection uncovered significant problems with the unit's mismanagement. It was discovered during the inspection that more than 20 individuals were reported to have passed away at the center in the previous six months. Concerns regarding the operational state of the center raised by patients and their families led to the Commissioner's visit. Among the complaints expressed were obsolete machinery, inadequate workforce, and inadequate facility maintenance.

Patients and their attendants gave a memorandum to the state representative of NephroPlus, the company that oversees the dialysis center, after they witnessed the facility's setup. The document outlined other concerns, such as the usage of obsolete equipment and poor maintenance, and called for the immediate contractual deployment of two nephrologists.

The employment of trainees and retired doctors who had been out of practice for more than 24 years sparked concerns. Furthermore, there were requests to maintain staffing standards, fix broken equipment, and guarantee that fans continue to run in the event of a power outage. There was also an urgent need to repair the oxygen pipeline, which had not worked for years. Additionally, the OPD's hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., however, attendants noted that retired doctors sometimes leave by 11:30 a.m., which causes patients to be sent for critical care after their departure.

Jitendra Kumar, the state in charge, promised quick changes in reaction to the results. He promised that within a week, the facility would have a full-time doctor, single-use dialysers would be used, and new beds and blood pressure monitors would be added. Kumar also promised to take care of the cleanliness issues.

Kumar emphasized that although attendants are allowed to see their relatives, they should stay in the waiting room and not enter the dialysis unit directly. Patients were asked to make complaints using a designated complaint box.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/MSM)