Unhygienic condition of Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) Sherbagh here in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district is causing major issues to the patients and attendants. As per witnesses, the garbage lying inside the hospital premises near canteen has not been removed from here for a long time. A local said that even though in 2017 Jammu and Kashmir was awarded for “the best health services”, but the patients in this district are “exposed to unhygienic conditions even at maternity and child care hospitals. The patients and their attendants complained that they were being exposed to unhygienic atmosphere in the hospital. “The inside view of this hospital depicts the unhygienic picture. There is stench and dirt inside the washrooms and garbage has also piled-up, which not only stinks but also spreads infections,” they said.The Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) Sherbagh is located in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district is catering to hundreds of patients on a daily basis. The hospital is now under the management of Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag.The patients also complained that there is dearth of manpower inside the health facility. “Everyday 500-600 patients visit the pediatric department. Due to lack of adequate staff patients undergo serious problems.”The problems does not stop here, unattended garbage in this government hospital is piling up at the hospital canteen and is proving to be a health hazard.The waste pile largely comprised polythene covers, packets and dust. “We have been experiencing severe breathing problems since the last couple of days due to the stench from this,” said a few attendants.
Talking to Kashmir News Trust, a female patient from Bhijbehra said that she was admitted in the hospital a couple of days ago but there were no good facilities. “The hospital washrooms are dirty and stinky, the bathrooms emanate stench, the taps running dry and the concerned authorities turn blind eye towards these issues,” she lamented.A group of attendants said the corridors of the hospital are stinking and nothing is being done for cleanliness. “It appears that the sweepers have been recruited for no purpose here,” Abdul Wahid, an attendant from Mattan said. “It is difficult to breathe inside the hospital,” he added.Another attendant Shabroza Jan said: “One can clearly see the heap of garbage lying here unattended. It seems that the garbage has not been lifted for a long time. If garbage lies unattended for a long, the problem may get worse with rise in temperature which ultimately would outbreak any disease,” he said. A doctor at the hospital said: “If our hospitals are filthy or our environs are full of hazardous waste, people, instead of getting better in health facilities tend to fall sick.” The attendants grieved that they had taken up the matter with hospital authorities. “But, they (hospital authorities) failed to take measures for ensuring sanitation of the hospital premises. The unattended garbage is emanating pungent smell posing threat of infection to patients as well as attendants,” they said.They now demand the complete sanitation inside the hospital, to prevent an outbreak of disease.An official denied the reports of unhygenic condition of the hospital. He however assured to take up the matter about insufficient staff with higher officials. (KNT)