Patients travel 120 km from Narnaul to Rohtak for MRI test
The post of Civil Surgeon at the Civil Hospital in Narnaul here has been lying vacant for the past three months, even as patients are referred to the PGIMS, Rohtak, located over 120 km from the hospital, for an MRI test.
The hospital has neither the facility of an MRI nor CT scan, forcing patients to go to adjoining Rewari district for CT scan if they want to go to a government hospital. Otherwise, they have to undergo the tests at private hospitals by paying hefty fee. Around 1,600 patients visit the Narnaul hospital every day.
As far as doctors are concerned, two posts of senior medical officer (SMO) at the Narnaul hospital and five such posts at the Mahendragarh Civil Hospital are vacant, affecting administrative work. There are 178 posts of medical officer (MO) across Mahendragarh district, of which 37 are vacant, said sources.
“The post of dermatologist is vacant at the Narnaul hospital and gynaecologists from Gurugram have been deputed there on a rotational basis. The charge of Civil Surgeon has also been given to an SMO. Ultrasound facility is also not available at the Civil Hospital in Mahendragarh, forcing the patients either to go to Narnaul or private hospitals,” said an official on anonymity.
The general hospital was upgraded to 200 beds and a trauma centre is being set up in Narnaul to extend healthcare facilities in Mahendragarh district, whose Ateli constituency is being represented by Health Minister Arti Singh Rao in the Vidhan Sabha.
“Following Arti's elevation, locals are confident about getting modern healthcare facilities in government hospitals in the district. She provided a gynaecologist at the Narnaul hospital as soon as she came to know that patients were suffering,” said Abhay, a resident of Narnaul, adding that locals were expecting more such steps in coming days.
Dr Dharmendra Singh, officiating Civil Surgeon, Narnaul, said they had moved a proposal to the state government, requesting it to provide MRI, CT scan and Cath Lab facilities at the hospital. “The process to recruit medical officers is underway,” he said, adding that a proposal to provide a dialysis facility at the government healthcare centres in Kanina and Ateli towns had also been submitted to the government.
