B&J Hospital paralyzed for want of funds
Srinagar: Valley’s lone Bone and Joints (B&J) Hospital Barzulla has been facing shortage of funds as authorities have drastically slashed the funds meant for implants for the patients who cannot afford to buy them from open markets.
“A gradual process initiated by the authorities which has been taking place from last several years now, has drastically slashed the funds for implants leaving patients who are in need-hopeless,” said an official of the hospital.
As per sources the authorities have gradually slashed the required funds that were allocated to the hospital for the procurement of implants for the needy people.
“It has not happened suddenly, but it has taken place gradually, initially 5 years back, funds were slashed by 10 per cent which then went on unnoticed,” sources said, adding “the hospital is currently getting only 23 percent of funds for the implants.
The fund-slashing process that has went unnoticed, is turning the tall claims of the authorities of catering to the needs of people, who are living below poverty, flat on the ground.
The hospital being the only bones and joints speciality hospital in the valley is catering to the needs of thousands of people who reach here for specialized treatment, however, for those, who cannot afford to spend huge sums on the procurement implants, the facilities at the hospital have turned out to be a great disappointment.
In last 4 months this year, the hospital witnessed around 234 such patients who were in need of implants, but it was able to cater to the needs of only 60 patients, which implies that roughly only the needs of 26 percent patients were catered to. Rest had to procure the implants from the market, details provided by the officials said.
At least for Muhammad Afzal, hailing from Poonch, reduction in implant funds has turned out to be a nightmare for him. Afzal’s mother was in need of an implant, which he thought would be provided by the hospital.
To his utter shock, he was asked to buy the implant from the market which was not possible for him.
“The implant would cost me around 75000 rupees. If I had that much of money, I would have taken my mother to Jammu and that too, to a private hospital,” Afzal said.
As per sources, currently, the hospital is getting only 23 percent of funds which is way low to cater to the rush of such patients who are in need of implants.
“With such a meager amount of funds, the hospital is not able to cater to the needs of even few patients, which is making it quite difficult to handle,” sources said.
KV Correspondent
