Dr.Avnish Jolly , Chandigarh, April 10 : Setting new standard in health care, the Chandigarh Administration’s new initiative on emergency cases has been a good success, though on an experimental basis, at the Government Multi specialty Hospital (General Hospital) in Sector 16 under which critical patients brought to the emergency, are provided with free treatment for the first 24 hours of admission. On an average, between 80 and 100 patients are brought to the emergency in the hospital every day.
The scheme covers the cost of treatment, medicines, ECG and X-rays in accidental and medico-legal cases. The hospital authorities had stocked medicines, surgical items and catheters worth Rs 10 lakh before launching the scheme. Now, spadework is being done to widen the ambit of the scheme, possibly from June 1, to include routine investigations relevant to the critical ailment warranting a patient’s admission to the emergency, and first X-ray.
Explaining the rationale behind the scheme, Dr M. S. Bains, Director, Health Services, UT, Chandigarh, said, "In such cases, first 24 hours are crucial for the life of a patient. Our prime motive behind this plan is to save precious lives by doing all that we can do for the patient and spare the attendants the bother of arranging funds and things in the immediate.” Helpers are available round the clock at the emergency in the hospital to bring a patient on a stretcher or on a wheelchair.
He disclosed that the much awaited new OPD block is expected to be ready for use by December 31, 2009. “It will house all OPDs, which are now scattered all over the hospital complex, in one building, making things easy for the patients and their attendants”, Dr Bains said. The new block which was initially estimated to cost Rs 8.5 crore, would on completion, involve an expenditure of Rs 11 crore.
What’s more, the Chandigarh Administration has installed a digital X-ray machine at the cost of Rs 60 lakh at the Government Multispeciality Hospital in Sector 16. It would be handy for the doctors and facilitate the patients to a great extent. “It provides good and clearer picture of the affected part from different angles in no time, enabling the doctor to diagnose things faster and better. Once it is done, there is no need to go anywhere else. It also need not be repeated for any technical reasons thereby minimizing the exposure to the patient as well as saving on the films,” said Dr Bains.
Coming to the rescue of poor patients, the Administration has taken steps to make available medicines at cheap rates in the hospital. “While 35 per cent rebate is allowed on all generic medicines bought by patients on hospital complex, all trademark medicines cost 10 per cent less”, Dr Bains said.
A proposal has also been initiated to upgrade the Industrial Area Dispensary into a Primary Health Centre and funds have been released for the purpose. Besides, expansion of the Civil Hospital at Manimajra to 100-bed capacity has been approved and work on the project will commence this year. The expanded health centre would cater to the needs of the poor and labourers residing in the surrounding areas, Dr Bains added.
Dear Reporter
You must have atteded the Press conference of the DHS,if you have posted this news just only on the basis of Press Release then it does not reflect you as a good reporter despite the fact you are claimimg yourself as a Doctor.Let me do the autopsy of this news.
1. To provide facility of free treatment in the emerency for first 24 Hrs,there is nothing new in this,PGIMER chandigarh is doing this for last so many years.
2.DHS must know most of the patients who are coming to emergency are trauma patients,they are either brought by the passerby and sometimes cops,very rarely they are accompained by the relatives,The Trauma patients beside getting the x-rays also needs to get their CT scan of Head most of the time.
3.The facility of CT in GMSH is through private party who charge from every patients irespective of whether it is in first 24 HRS,Why the facility of free Ct scan is not included in the list of first 24 hrs investigations.
4.The other investigations he is quoting needs only Rs.20/- to Rs. 50,where as the CT cost some where more than 500/-,this is the investigation which has to be done free of cost.
5.Then about the discount on Generic Medicines this is another Joke everybody knows there is ,margin of more than 100% in generic medicines.The ministry of chemicals has recently started the jan ashudi centre where medicines are being provided at much cheaper price why he do not want to open the same centre at GMSH,but so many peoples there will not like this since it will stop their extra income.
6. He says this will help victims not to worry for arranging funds,just ask him who will pay to the CT Scan Centre who do not do anything without charging since it is a private party.
7.He said this will help in saving the life of patients,but I think he does not know no one do reporting of x-rays and CT Scans after 2 PM at GMSH,or may be he has allowed the technicians to do reporting.
8.He has also mentioned that with the Computerized system they will save films,this is again false statement,they have no networking or PACS in their hospital,if doctors/physicians want to see the x-rays either he has to come to the X-ray room or they have to make films on Laser camera.
This is my humble request to the Reporter please do not become the part of these in competent peoples who only gives false information.India is rated as 4th in the list of most corrupt nations,even Pakistan,bangla desh,nepal and srilanka are better than us.These peoples make important role in making this country corrupt.You should expose them,just ask these queries from him if he can give any answer to them.
This news shows how poor is the knowledge of Director Health Service, who has no basic knowledge of X-rays, he has mentioned they have got digital X-ray machine he is lying to all public of Chandigarh.They have got only Computreised Radiography System In this system you have to do X-rays in the same way they were doing on old X-ray machines.In CR system they will not be using X-ray films,however they will be using IP plates.
Secondly he is claiming now the X-rays will be done at different angles he should have to know this is not a X-ray Machine and you are still using the same X-ray machines for doing X-rays.
Then he is claiming it will reduce the Radiation dose,but he has to read the book it is well established fact that you have to give higher exposure in Computersied Radiography System as compared to the conventional X-ray films.
Then he said x-rayswill not be repeated but he forgets this is CR system not a Magic Box which will also give you good x-rays even you are doing the wrong X-rays,It does not help any way to reduce the repeat X-rays.To reduce the repeat x-rays your technician should be well trained and intelligent.
In the last I would like to tell reporter he should also apply his mind while writing the News the Wrong News on the Scientific matters can not stand.You just ask the DHS the queries i have asked he can not give reply to a single one.
This reflects how poorly the health systems are managed by persons with no knowledge of facts.If the situation in the Chandigarh is like this what could be the situation in states and other remote areas,only god can help this country.