Politics or Health Care !
VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: Credit with the highest number of surgeries and catering to the largest number of patients in OPD, the Cardio Department of Government Medical College (GMC) is facing ‘unwarranted and unnecessary’ interference by the Principal thus jeopradising its functioning as also patient care.
According to sources, Dr Sushil Sharma, HoD Cardiology, GMC & SSH, who has the highest number of patients in OPDs and Cath Labs as compared to the other units, has become eyesore for most of the fraternity members, as he does not undertake private practice. The doctors and the trained para-medical staff members in his department are being deliberately shifted to other wings without consulting him just to hamper the working of his department.
Barring HoD Cardio Deptt, all HoDs issue duty roasters independently
Earlier, the then Minister for Health, Bali Bhagat, in a bid to favour few doctors, had bifurcated the categories of patients between the doctors. This is never done in any department of any hospital. It’s the choice of the patient to choose a doctor of his or her choice for treatment, sources said.
Since Dr Sushil Sharma, who has studied from PGI Chandigarh, enjoys confidence of patients because of his track record in the conduct of successful heart surgeries, it irks many of his colleagues. Thus, the political inference in the department has always been the part of the system. However, now the Principal’s Office is always interfering by deputing the doctors and Post-Graduate students besides managing their roasters. To make the roasters of the staff of the department is duty of the HoDs like the other departments but in the Department of Cardiology, the directions are passed every day from the Principal’s Office.
The HoD Cardiology is reported to have apprised the office of the Lieutenant Governor about unwarranted interference, pleading that same creates problems in managing the heavy rush of cardio patients and their treatment plans.
Here it is relevant to mention that last week, seven high-end procedures were performed in a single day at GMC’s Cardiology Department.
Dr Sushil Sharma along with Dr. Paramdeep Singh Sandhu, Dr. Nasir Ali Choudhary and whole team of cardiac Cath Lab SSH Jammu, comprising of lab technicians and paramedical staff have achieved landmark milestone by performing seven complex procedures of CRT D and CRT P insertion in a single day.
This is perhaps for the first time in country that such complex procedures have been performed in a Government institute in a single day under Ayushman Bharat scheme. This will go a long way in providing affordable and quality healthcare to the needy and poor patients and serve as example to others to work on same lines.
Dr Sushil Sharma and his team took initiative and performed complex cardiac procedures and in such big number in a single day. Already the Department of Cardiology, under the supervision of Dr Sushil Sharma, has been performing number of complex coronary procedures under Ayushman Bharat scheme, free of cost.