Unprecedented 56% surge in patient load at Lal Ded Hospital

Srinagar, Jan 9: In a surprising trend, Lal Ded Hospital, Kashmir's premier maternity hospital, has witnessed a staggering 56% increase in patient load over the past four years. This significant rise in patient volume comes with a corresponding rise in neonatal mortality, despite a notable decrease in referrals.

According to official data, the hospital saw a remarkable surge in outpatient department (OPD) visits, from 1,42,088 in 2020 to 2,21,164 in 2024. The load increase has not been very steady, the year 2020 to 2021 witnessing the most steep spike from 142088 to 192420. From there, a significant jump took place from 2023 to 2024. In just one year, OPD attendance increased by 15,103 patients.

Inpatient department (IPD) admissions also increased substantially, from 29,757 in 2020 to 37,908 in 2024, a 27.4 percent rise. Clearly, many of these patients required surgeries. The number of surgeries performed at the hospital rose from 15,406 in 2020 to 21,809 in 2024. However, the number of normal deliveries decreased from 7,305 in 2020 to 6,514 in 2024.

The most alarming trend, however, is the rise in neonatal deaths. In 2020, the hospital reported 130 neonatal deaths, which increased to 297 in 2024. Interestingly, the number of referrals to the hospital decreased from 11,214 in 2020 to 9,129 in 2024.

The data was provided by the Lal Ded Hospital administration in response to an RTI Application filed by RTI activist MM Shuja on January 7 this year.

When questioned about the rising patient load and neonatal deaths, hospital administration attributed the trend to an increase in high-risk pregnancies and complex cases.

“As the only Tertiary Level Hospital (TLH) for the Kashmir division, we cater to a large number of referral high-risk patients including Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH), Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), heart diseases and other mental disorders. These conditions often necessitate Caesarean sections to ensure the safety of both the mother and child,” Medical Superintendent Lal Ded Hospital, Dr Muzaffar Jan said.

He said that most district hospitals do not perform Caesarean Sections on patients with a history of two or three previous CS, and all such cases are referred to this institution. “Plus, patients often demand pain-free labour which sometimes contributes to an increased rate of Caesarean sections,” he said.

Regarding neonatal mortality, the MS said, NICU facilities are not available at peripheral primary and secondary health centers. As a result, preterm labour cases are referred to our hospital, contributing to a higher rate of Caesarean sections. “The number of patients admitted has increased over the years.It is quite obvious that the neonates admitted in the NICU are extremely sick as they are premature, some of them weighing less than 1 kg and maximum with respiratory distress syndrome and congenital malformations.”

"While the drop in normal deliveries and rise in neonatal deaths may appear concerning, they underscore our growing role in managing high-risk pregnancies and critically-ill newborns,” the Dr Jan said.