Anantnag: A single ambulance is catering to needs of patients at Maternity and Child Care Hospital (MCCH) here in Sherbagh area of Anantnag as two others have been lying defunct for more than 20 days now.

The MCCH is the only maternity and child care hospital in entire south Kashmir and hundreds of people every day, including from Chenab valley region, visit the hospital for their healthcare needs.

“At such an overworked hospital only one ambulance is available for the patients,” a source at the hospital told Kashmir Reader.

The source said that the hospital has three ambulances in total, of which two developed a snag and are yet to be repaired.

“Both the ambulances are lying defunct for the past more than 20 days now,” the source said, adding that the administration was taking no pains in getting these ambulances back on the road.

Kashmir Reader talked to some doctors at the MCCH, who lamented that they have to seek permission of the ambulance driver before referring a patient. “What if the ambulance is not free? Why then refer a patient? These are the questions that nag us everyday,” a doctor said, requesting not to be named.

A local trust has lent a mini-van to the hospital for the time being, but it does not suffice. “Besides, we had a 108 ambulance but that is kept at a PHC in Achabal, for reasons better known to the people who run that ambulance service. That ambulance needs to be called in from Achabal every time there is an emergency. It is a waste of time and money,” the source at the hospital said.

Kashmir Reader tried talking to the Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital, Dr Mirji Andrabi, who said that he was not the MS. “The hospital has no MS post. Please talk to the Principal GMC,” he said.

Principal of the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag, Dr Showkat Jeelani, said that he has given approval for maintenance of the ambulances long back. “It has been a while since I gave the approval. The ambulances should have been mended by now,” Jeelani said.

When told that the ambulances were still defunct, he said that he will look into the matter.

Suhail A Shah