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Dy CM Pathak stands in queue at trauma centre to take stock of facilities
For the first time in recent years, a deputy chief minister stood in a queue and had first-hand experience of the health services.
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak on Tuesday stood in a queue with common people to take stock, first hand, of the facilities at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) trauma centre.
Upset over the poor facilities there, after meeting patients, the minister directed immediate improvement of facilities at the centre.
Pathak, who is also health and medical education minister, reached the trauma centre campus without prior information and, with a mask on his face, stood in the queue with common people at around 11.30 am. He noted the time taken for paper work and response of the staff.
This is probably the first time in recent years that a deputy chief minister stood in a queue and had first-hand experience of the health services.
He then came to the ‘receiving area’ of the trauma centre and asked the doctor on duty, “How many patients have come since morning?”
By the time KGMU officials got to know about the minister’s inspection, Pathak had met several patients. He met patients in the new OPD block, and asked them about the staff’s behaviour.
Several patients complained that the call centre numbers remained busy, making it difficult for them to get an appointment. The minister asked about online registration and met officials of the KGMU IT cell and directed them to find a solution to this problem.
After taking to a patient in the OPD, the minister got to know that he was waiting there since morning. Pathak then instructed KGMU officials to start a token system for smooth functioning.
“Today I reached KGMU and made a surprise inspection of the facilities on the campus. Have instructed authorities to improve patient care facilities,” the deputy CM tweeted.
Later during his visit, chief medical superintendent of trauma centre Prof Sandip Tiwari and chief medical superintendent of KGMU Prof SN Sankhwar briefed him about the facilities.
This was second such inspection by the minister. The first one was at Civil hospital last week. He had personally met patients, examined wheelchairs and stretchers and also took stock of the functioning at the emergency wing of the hospital.
Earlier, the minister had asked director general, medical health, to probe an incident where a man had to carry his ailing wife on a hand trolley to a community health centre in Balia. The patient later died. The DG has been asked to fix responsibility for negligence in providing ambulance service.
