The Kashmir Valley’s lone maternity hospital is getting a new look and improved facilities, quietly. The hospital in present times is the only major hospital in Kashmir that looks after the maternity needs of entire Kashmir region.Not long ago the hospital was crowded with patients from far and wide and their impatient attendants. The facilities at the hospital, raised decades ago, had to be pided between them, quite naturally.Ever since Mr. Taj took over as Minister for Medical Education in January this year, first among the things he did was to focus on the condition, management and facilities at the LD Hospital. In his maiden visit, the Minister promised doctors there better facilities and patients a better care. And since then, things are being added, one after the other.
Yesterday, the Minister inaugurated a refurbished recovery room comprising 60 beds with all the post operative facilities. Also the bed strength and facilities of the labour room has been increased from 40 to 110. With this the patient congestion at the hospital would be greatly minimised. Also the operation theatres and wards have been upgraded, new bed lifts inducted and new ICU beds fitted with ventilators and monitors inducted.New Colour Doppler USG, three CTG machines, six pediatric dopplers, 260 semi flower beds, four OT quatries, one ECG machine portable were added besides induction of Laparoscope, Hystroscope, Calposcope and renovations and computerisation labs, X-Ray, CSSD was done during these months as per NABH standards.
More waiting areas, within and outside the hospital, have been established and new registration counters at OPD were opened where computerised tickets are being issued. New OPD counters were set up to meet the patient rush and two parks were raised to give patients and their attendants some level of aesthetic relief.Two attendant sarais at the hospital are nearing completion and 20 medical shops constructed by SMC would be given to those shopkeepers whose shops would be demolished during the expansion of the hospital.The Rs. 1.25 crore water treatment plant at the hospital is almost complete and would be commissioned next month. Already water capacity at the hospital has been increased by 30 thousand gallons.Academics, which had taken a back seat due to heavy patient load in past, has been brought in focus and regular workshops for faculty and students are being conducted. Two urogynae endoscopic workshops were conducted in last six months and the Department of Gynaecology is planning an international workshop next year.
Speaking at such a workshop yesterday, Mr. Taj Mohi ud Din vowed to make LD Hospital a class hospital with all the latest equipments and facilities. He said we have the best of doctors available and so would be facilities added up gradually.The hospital is soon looking to the addition of a new ward block fitted with modular OTs and presently work is on to construct a ramp to connect the old block with the new one. This would give the hospital, with more than 700 IPDs and around 60 to 70 major surgeries daily, a magnificent view and place it rightly deserves. So do the people running it. And why not!