Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: The number of patients coming to Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar has significantly decreased since August 5 when authorities implemented restrictions on movement and communication in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
Amid clampdown, most people either are not allowed to come out of home or prefer to stay indoors due to prevailing situation in the valley.
At the same time, the patients are also reluctant to visit hospitals. As such the Chest Disease (CD) Hospital Srinagar has witnessed almost 60 percent decline in patient inflow since August 5.
An official said the CD Hospital has admitted around 115 patients since August 5, indicating six to seven patients are admitted daily.
However, before August 5, the hospital would admit almost 20 patients daily and has witnessed almost 60 percent decline in the inpatient departments for the last four weeks.
Before August 5, the hospital used to receive 450 patients daily in the outdoors department but received almost 2500 post it.
“The hospital should have received over 9000 patients but only 2500 patients visited the hospital for the treatment,” the official said.
A doctor at the hospital said that only critical patients visit the hospital these days.
“If patient is stable and are not very ill, their families prefer to take home because of communication blockade,” the doctor said.
Medical Superintendent, Dr Saleem Tak refused to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, many patients and attendants of far-off places are reluctant to leave the hospitals in view of the situation.
Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Shopian said hospital administration didn’t provide an ambulance to ferry him and his father to home.
“I also tried to get a Taxi but no one is ready to go to south Kashmir,” he added.
