Authorities playing with patients' lives in H-Kashmir
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

JAMMU: A report presented in the so-called Legislative Assembly of occupied Kashmir revealed that as many as 31,280 units of blood not tested against HIV and Hepatitis, have been administered to patients by three hospitals functioning under the Health Department.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in a damning report, has brought forth many startling facts revealing the rot that has set in the health sector of the occupied territory.

The CAG report pointed out that even the Institute of Medical Sciences, which is a reputable institute, infused 1235 units of blood into patients without testing it for HIV and Hepatitis owing to non-availability of kits.

The report pointed out that the health institutions were endangering the lives of patients by infusing untested blood and the Health Department did not even ensure the mandatory testing of blood units for want of equipment.

As many as 14,492 units of blood were not tested for HIV and 17,173 units for Hepatitis B by the three hospitals - Lalla Ded Hospital, Srinagar, and the district hospitals at Rajouri and Udhampur. Pointing out serious lapses in the blood banks, the report said that unlicensed banks were operating in these hospitals. The report further pointed out that bio-medical waste was being dumped in open pits, hospital lawns or in the open in gross violation of the rules.

Substandard medicines worth Rs 10.82 lakh purchased by the two directors of health services at Srinagar and Jammu were administered to patients, the report disclosed. Injections, chemicals and other equipment worth Rs 11.17 lakh issued to the three hospitals, district hospital, Udhampur, Block Medical Officer, Ramnagar, and Lalla Ded Hospital, Srinagar, expired as the requirement was not assessed. Forty-two machines purchased at a value of Rs 1.52 crore between September 1995 and July 2003 could not be put to use as trained manpower and infrastructure were lacking.

The CAG has also brought out the fact that the Srinagar-based SKIMS, which was declared a research institute, had not undertaken any research work for want of funds. The functioning of the institute was adversely affected due to the shortage of doctors and para-medical staff. There was a shortage of 1077 posts in the SKIMS where the staff strength was 2702 against the 3779 sanctioned posts. As many as 1007 patients were awaiting various types of surgery for over three to eight months, the report maintained.●