Demand for upgradation of Trauma Hospital Pattan intensifies after patient’s death
Baramulla, Jan 2: The death of a patient at Trauma Hospital Pattan on Monday evening sparked protests from the deceased’s relatives, who alleged negligence on the part of the hospital staff and lack of an ambulance as the cause of death.
The hospital authorities, however, have refuted the allegations, claiming the patient was brought dead to the facility.
Dr Mohammad Tahah, Block Medical Officer (BMO) of Trauma Hospital Pattan, said, “There was no negligence on the part of the doctors. The patient, a cardiac patient with a pacemaker, was brought dead to the hospital.”
Despite the hospital’s denial, the incident has reignited public demand for upgrading the Community Health Centre (CHC) Pattan, also known as Trauma Hospital Pattan, to a Sub-District Hospital (SDH).
Official records reveal that the CHC receives over 1,000 patients daily in OPD, a figure far beyond the capacity of its staff strength.
The facility currently operates with only 11 medical officers and five consultants, with the crucial post of a pediatric consultant remaining vacant for over three years.
“The hospital acts as a referral center for numerous Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the Pattan block, catering to over 34 villages. it operates with the limited staff and resources of a CHC, which is unjustified,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a civil society member from Pattan.
Initially located in Pattan’s main market, the hospital was relocated to its current site along the Srinagar-Baramulla Highway to serve as a trauma hospital for highway accident victims.
However, over time, it neither functioned as a fully-equipped trauma hospital nor as an SDH. Instead, it operates as a CHC, unable to meet the growing healthcare demands of the area.
Mushtaq Ahmad, a local resident, said, “While the hospital is commonly referred to as a Sub-District Hospital, it officially functions as a CHC, which limits its staff and resources.”
The people of Pattan have renewed their appeal to authorities to upgrade the hospital to SDH status, stressing that it would ensure an increase in staff strength and better healthcare services for the people of Pattan block.
“The current state of the hospital is insufficient to meet the needs of the population it serves. Upgrading it to an SDH is the only solution,” Ahmad added.