Ramban people demand proper heating system for patients in hospitals

Ramban, Jan 11: People of Ramban have demanded adequate heating system for patients undergoing treatment at various government hospitals in Ramban district.

They said there is no hospital in the district where a permanent heating system is available. Residents of Ramban, Batote and Gool said that patients are facing inconvenience due to non-availability of proper heating arrangements.

They said there is no heating system in District Hospital, and Community Health Centers amid severe chill. At some hospitals, heating arrangements are available in emergencies only. They said all the PHCs, CHCs Batote, Gool, Banihal, Ramban, and the premier District Hospital Ramban do not have proper heating systems in this harsh winter season.

People of the districts demanded installation of a proper heating system in government-run hospitals across district. They said in some hospitals like the District Hospital Ramban heating system is available. They said a few heat convectors were recently installed in some wards of District Hospital Ramban and CHC Banihal but at other places, no heating arrangement is available for patients.

However, health department officers claimed that heating arrangements were put in place for patient care in all the government-run hospitals of the district. They said heaters were installed at most hospitals he said at some Hospitals gas heaters were kept for patients.

People of Batote, Gool, and Ukhral Sangaldan said there are no heating arrangements in hospitals. They have demanded that the administration and health department should provide a proper heating system in hospitals so that patient care would not be affected due to harsh weather conditions.

Some patients and attendants at CHC Batote complain that even there are no curtains to cover the windows and doors to keep the hospital warm. People said due to inadequate heating systems in hospitals not only patients but doctors, paramedical staff, and nurses are also facing inconvenience during night duties.

They further said due to severe cold patients and medical staff are uncomfortable in the hospitals. People have demanded the installation of a central heating system in the entire Hospitals of Ramban district.

Chief Medical Officer Ramban Dr Kamal Zadoo said a heating system has been put at place for the three months of winter session at District Hospital Ramban, CHC Gool, Banihal and Batote. He said heat convectors were installed at District Hospital Ramban.

He said the funds were allotted to the concerned Block Medical Officers by the Health Department Jammu for making heating arrangements in the hospitals of their respective health blocks for installing gas heaters for three months of the winter season so that patient care may not suffer due to cold, he added.