No staff, Mother and Child Care Hospital in Punjab’s Samana lying locked for last 2 years

The hospital is well-equipped with modern equipment and has labour rooms, a family planning room, OPDs, a dressing/injection room, a pharmacy, delivery rooms, operation theatres, a nursing station and a baby feeding area

The 30-bed Mother and Child Care Hospital (MCH) at Samana is lying locked for the last two years in the absence of doctors, paramedical and sanitation staff. The then government had inaugurated the four-story hospital two years ago but did not provide any staff to run the hospital.

The hospital, inaugurated two years ago, is well-equipped with modern equipment and has labour rooms, a family planning room, OPDs, a dressing/injection room, a pharmacy, delivery rooms, operation theatres, a nursing station and a baby feeding area

The hospital is well-equipped with modern equipment and has labour rooms, a family planning room, OPDs, a dressing/injection room, a pharmacy, delivery rooms, operation theatres, a nursing station and a baby feeding area. The local health department tried to run the institute with a makeshift arrangement sourcing staff from the sub-division hospital in Samana but it didn’t last long.

An official of the department, pleading anonymity, said that to run the hospital there is a requirement of at least three gynaecologists, anaesthesiologists, and paediatricians each, with 12 staff nurses and 12 ward attendants. At least 20 sanitation workers, seven lab technicians and four computer operators are also required.

The official further informed that the local health department tried to run the hospital by deputing staff from a sub-division hospital in Samana but it had an adverse impact on the functioning of the latter, leading to the locking up of the facility.

Officials of the health department informed that the sub-divisional hospital was upgraded to 79 beds, but the state health department did not strengthen the staff accordingly.

Dr Rishma, senior medical officer of the hospital, said, “It is impossible to run the Mother and Child Care Hospital without the staff. Our sub-division is reeling under a severe shortage of staff, and we cannot deploy our staff at the MCH.” Patiala civil surgeon Dr Raminder Kuar did not respond to repeated calls and messages.