Lack of basic facilities, medicines and non-payment of salaries have crippled the functioning of the Ayurveda wing of the Ayush Department at the district government hospital here.
The wing started functioning on the premises of the district government hospital here on March 28, 2010. It offers outpatient treatment from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. On an average, about 40 patients are treated, while about 10 patients receive ‘panchakarma’ treatment a day.
Despite this, the wing has not got any supply of medicine, since March this year. Though the doctors have been sending indents to the Director of Ayush in Bangalore, through the district surgeon for the last three months, they haven’t received supplies because of lack of funds.
Most patients visit this wing for treatment of various ailments including arthritis, allergy and skin problems. “As there are no medicines, we give medicine samples which we receive, to the needy. If some ask for prescription, we give it to them. Else, we refer them to the nearby Homeopathy or Unani wing. We do not turn back the patients,” said Sudharshan Bhat, a doctor at the wing.
It does not even have a proper toilet. The door of the only toilet is broken. It is attached to the ‘panchakarma’ room, which means that if a patient is undergoing treatment, no one can enter that room.
Chaitra, a house surgeon from SDM College of Ayurveda, said compared to her college hospital, the facilities at this wing were elementary. “Lack of facilities affects the overall functioning of the wing,” she said.
Two postgraduate Ayurveda doctors, two nurses, two ‘panchakarma’ assistants and one office assistant were appointed on contract basis in March, 2010. All seven of them still continue on contract basis despite repeated assurances by authorities and politicians that their services would be regularised.
None of these seven members have received salaries since March. A nurse said due to non-payment of salary, she had to borrow money from friends and relatives to meet household expenses.
Despite all these problems, patients are all praise for the treatment given here.
Gopal Poojary, owner of a paan shop in Adiudupi, who had come for treatment of waist pain said that the treatment given here was excellent.
“The doctors have given me a good treatment. My waist pain has come down considerably,” he said.
District surgeon Anand Naik said the matter had been brought to the notice of the Directorate of Ayush in Bangalore.
