Administration require to crosscheck developmental outputs of GB Pant Hospital since its establishment

 

TMI Bureau

Port Blair, Mar 08: The mighty sanatorium of A&N Islands 'GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair' is running hopelessly these days and ghastly turning into life finale stall for the patients, especially, who suffers with neurological and cardio-logical illnesses in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Govt. has investing crores of rupees every year on health sector in these islands to provide better treatment and facilities to the patients, but the equipment as life-supporting vehicle, MRI machine, surgery related equipment are always found under disrepair, and sending private clinics to make a diagnosis.

Some diseased family members, who have observed in the recent past, say that, "Patients who are entering into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the GB Pant Hospital may denote as a finale of life. Neither patients' attenders are allowed nor are the duty staffs keeping eye on patients in the ICU to maintain proper communication or status about the patient, negligently.

DHS Motto as per its website

The only Referral Hospital i.e. GB Pant Hospital, South Andaman District have started with the motto and mission 'is to provide preventive, promotive, curative and quality health services at free of costs to the people of islands. DHS strive to help people improve their productivity and reduce risks of diseases and injury. The Directorate of health services also committee to provide health scheme benefits to the poor and needy people of these islands. Quality and cost-free healthcare for every citizen'.

The health being a vital sector, lack of facilities in this sector undermines the confidence and morale of people living in these Islands as it accentuates the sense of isolation from the mainland. This in turn also magnifies any other inconveniences imposed by the inherent logistic difficulties due to the distance. It may also be pertinent to mention that in the last few years, the aspirations of the people have increased considerably and so have the felt needs in the Health sector, says the DHS website.

History in Web
Mr. Biswarup Ganguly in Wikimedia updated on 15 April 2009 described the GB Pant Hospital as, "the GB Pant Hospital, located in the premises of the historic Cellular Jail at Port Blair. Is the only referral hospital for the entire group of Andaman & Nicobar Islands set-up initially in 1963. The hospital now has about 40 Doctors including a few specialists. Super Specialty services in cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, neurology, nephrology, gastro-enterology, urology, plastic surgery, etc. are obtained from the mainland. A & N Administration also provides Air Ambulance Services to patients with medical emergencies".

This shot was taken from rooftop of the Cellular Jail by the author Mr. Biswarup Ganguly.

Annual Budget of GB Pant Hospital
The Govt. of India is allocating Rs.324.7 crores upon the Health Sector in Andaman and Nicobar Islands annually. Out of which, major part i.e. Rs.104 crores (excluding health scheme schemes) are being spent on GB Pant Hospital only for providing health services to public. Out of Rs.104 crores major part is spent in paying salaries and wages i.e. Rs.67.25 crores, Rs.27 crores on Supplies and Materials and Rs.9.75 crores on P.O.L, Office Expenses, Domestic Travel Expenses, Medical Treatment and Overtime Allowance of health personnel of GB Pant Hospital, according to DDO wise allocation of fund for the financial year 2021-2022 report.

People’s experience
Some citizens of Dollygunj said, "The health history of A&N Islands yells, the nonexistence of proper Neurologist in the GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair has already taken many young lives and continues till now, is it not a shame on the health sector of our islands? Moreover, corruption issue of crores worth medicines allegedly by previous Head of Health Department has added black-crown to the infamy".

Citizens of Aberdeen village says, that "the introducing of Andaman Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS) is good for the islands, but it is also necessary to take care of, as not to effect the GB Pant patients improperly and may not be used our islands' patients as all time guinea-pigs for them. Hence, the attention of Lt. Governor is required to set right all the issues, is need of the hour".

However, the variation between the views of patients and head of the department hints that, the intervention of Lt. Governor is required to set right all the issues, is the need of the hour in the health sector of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. But…