Patients allege they never see a doctor or undergo any examination at ART centre at JJ Hospital; they claim inexperienced nurses give them medicines
Patients allege they never see a doctor or undergo any examination at ART centre at JJ Hospital; they claim inexperienced nurses give them medicines
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Patients coming to JJ Hospital from distant parts of the state, for essential medical care seem to be forced to bear with the fact that there are no doctors available at the hospital.
HIV+ patients especially, have been severely affected since mid-December 2010, as they regularly visit Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centre where first-line ART drugs are distributed free by the centre of the state-run JJ Hospital through the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).
Even first-time patients required to undergo tests before being sent to the Out Patient Department (OPD) for further check ups are stranded since there are no doctors available. Owing to the shortage of doctors at JJ hospital, Byculla hospital had earlier agreed to treat HIV+ patients.
One HIV+ patient sent an email to NACO complaining about absentee doctors and inexperienced staff nurses and counselors prescribing medicines at the centre.
Speaking to MiD DAY, the patient said, "Patients come from distant villages to buy medicines here because they are unaffordable. They also expect to be examined by doctors, but since December there are no doctors available. Moreover, I was shocked when money was demanded from the patients for the farewell of the HOD.
The patient alleged that a member of ART centre was collecting Rs 20 from patients for a farewell function in honour of Dr Alka Deshpande, nodal officer of ART Centre, honorary professor of medicine who retired on January 15, this year.
The member allegedly told patients that the HOD was distributing medicines worth over Rs 5,000 free of cost so why could they not readily contribute a paltry amount of Rs 20 for her farewell function. The patient further alleged that patients arriving late to collect their medicines from the centre are illegally fined.
When the mail was sent to NACO and the HOD of ART centre, NACO replied saying that doctors presently avoid working in government hospitals, as the pay is not to their liking.
The HOD stated in her reply, "NACO provides JJ hospital with medicines only for 2,000 patients, but over 12,000 patients visit our hospital and even then we manage to provide every patient with medicines."
Another patient at the hospital for a check up and to collect medicines, said, "I had traveled a distance and expected to find a doctor present to discuss about my illness, but it is very irritating to find that there are no doctors available since the past one month.
How can a patient already frustrated with this illness bear more ill treatment from the hospital? We may need to protest now to get at least one doctor."
Ek Cutting!
Kavach
Using a condom is considered the safest way to prevent the transmission of diseases. The condom is called 'Kavach' or sheath in Bambaiyya lingo, and is commonly used as an accepted term for the rubber.
The Other Side
Dr Alka Deshpande, nodal officer of ART Centre, said, "These allegations about money being collected forcefully is baseless as I retired in 2004 and not January 2011." She also claimed that no fine was being levied on patients for coming late to collect medicines. However, on the other hand, she agreed that patients were warned of being fined if they came late, just to maintain discipline. Deshpande said that money was collected for Makar Sankranti celebration, but patients willing contributed and had a good time as well.
Dean of JJ, Dr T P Lahane, said, "I'm not aware of this issue. I have not been able to speak to Alka Deshpande yet. I will enquire about it."
Excerpts of the mail
NACCO; HOD art centre
No doctors at the centre
"I would like to inform that since Dec 2010 there is no doctor at ART centre run by JJ hospital. Staff Nurses and the counselor are giving medicines to patients. Alka Deshpande H.O.D of ART centre is getting retired on January 15, 2011. Her PA, Vaishali Madam is collecting money from ART patients saying that she (HOD) had given you Rs 5,000 worth of medicines and you cant give her at least Rs 20. WE have strong proof about this. In fact, MDACS (Maharashtra District AIDS Control Society) are aware, but are scared of Alka Despande. I want to take strong action against her and her staff and on behalf on HIV+VE Mumbai, we don't need Alka Despande any more as HOD of JJ Hospital."
1986
The year in which the first AIDS case was detected in India
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