Patients at Kancheepuram PHC told to buy syringes from private shops
The 24-hour Urban PHC was also functioning without doctor on the busy day. Some of the regular cases were attended by the nurse and the pharmacist there. Some patients were send back.
Published: 15th January 2019 06:52 AM
Image used for representational purpose only
By Sinduja Jane
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Patients at the Urban Primary Health Centre at Mangadu in Kancheepuram district were made to buy syringes from private medical shops around the centre on Monday as the doctor also stayed away from attending the patients.
In the absence of a duty doctor in the 24-hour health centre, a nurse and a pharmacist were attending to patients who were queued up in one of the busiest centres. “I was told to buy a syringe at a private medical shop, so I went and bought a syringe at a nearby pharmacy,” said a 60-year-old woman in the area.
When asked about it, the officials claimed it happened only on Monday as insulin syringes stock was over just then and the nurse had no other option but to make the patients buy from a medical shop.
Speaking to Express, Dr T Senthil Kumar, Deputy Director of Health Services, said, “The patients were asked to buy only insulin syringes as that stock was over. Usually, we make local purchase and stock it, but I was told by the nurse when I inquired that the regular supplier didn’t come for the last two days as it is festival time or so. So, as there was no stock, the nurse said she asked the patients to buy. However, there are enough stocks at the nearby Block Primary Health Centre in Kundrathur.
The nurse could have sent someone and got from there, but she failed to do that.” He denied it was a regular business at the centre.
The 24-hour Urban PHC was also functioning without doctor on the busy day. Some of the regular cases were attended by the nurse and the pharmacist there. Some patients were send back.
“My daughter is having fever for the last three days. I came here to check with the doctor and thought of doing a blood test. But, I was told only the doctor can prescribe the test and so, there was no point waiting here,” said a mother who visited the centre.
When asked about absence of doctor, Senthil Kumar said, “On an average, the PHC gets close to 400 cases every day. So, we posted two medical officers. One senior medical officer went on leave, and the other medical officer who lives close by kept visiting the centre now and then due to some personal commitments,” he added.
Regular affair in PHSs?
A medical officer, who worked in a PHC in the State, said that nurses attending patients is a regular affair in many of the PHCs. “In the absence of doctors, the nurse will just distribute tablets and administer injection to old patients, who come with their previous treatment history record at the centre,” he said
A 24-hour health centre
The local people said that since the Mangadu Urban PHC is a 24-hour centre, the lone medical officer has to take care of the affairs in the night also. Deliveries are also conducted in the centre and it is a busy centre, they said
The 24-hour Urban PHC was also functioning without doctor on the busy day. Some of the regular cases were attended by the nurse and the pharmacist there. Some patients were send back.
Published: 15th January 2019 06:52 AM
Image used for representational purpose only
By Sinduja Jane
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Patients at the Urban Primary Health Centre at Mangadu in Kancheepuram district were made to buy syringes from private medical shops around the centre on Monday as the doctor also stayed away from attending the patients.
In the absence of a duty doctor in the 24-hour health centre, a nurse and a pharmacist were attending to patients who were queued up in one of the busiest centres. “I was told to buy a syringe at a private medical shop, so I went and bought a syringe at a nearby pharmacy,” said a 60-year-old woman in the area.
When asked about it, the officials claimed it happened only on Monday as insulin syringes stock was over just then and the nurse had no other option but to make the patients buy from a medical shop.
Speaking to Express, Dr T Senthil Kumar, Deputy Director of Health Services, said, “The patients were asked to buy only insulin syringes as that stock was over. Usually, we make local purchase and stock it, but I was told by the nurse when I inquired that the regular supplier didn’t come for the last two days as it is festival time or so. So, as there was no stock, the nurse said she asked the patients to buy. However, there are enough stocks at the nearby Block Primary Health Centre in Kundrathur.
The nurse could have sent someone and got from there, but she failed to do that.” He denied it was a regular business at the centre.
The 24-hour Urban PHC was also functioning without doctor on the busy day. Some of the regular cases were attended by the nurse and the pharmacist there. Some patients were send back.
“My daughter is having fever for the last three days. I came here to check with the doctor and thought of doing a blood test. But, I was told only the doctor can prescribe the test and so, there was no point waiting here,” said a mother who visited the centre.
When asked about absence of doctor, Senthil Kumar said, “On an average, the PHC gets close to 400 cases every day. So, we posted two medical officers. One senior medical officer went on leave, and the other medical officer who lives close by kept visiting the centre now and then due to some personal commitments,” he added.
Regular affair in PHSs?
A medical officer, who worked in a PHC in the State, said that nurses attending patients is a regular affair in many of the PHCs. “In the absence of doctors, the nurse will just distribute tablets and administer injection to old patients, who come with their previous treatment history record at the centre,” he said
A 24-hour health centre
The local people said that since the Mangadu Urban PHC is a 24-hour centre, the lone medical officer has to take care of the affairs in the night also. Deliveries are also conducted in the centre and it is a busy centre, they said
Thanks for sharing such a great artciles. You Should always keep precautions while buying syringes and needles online.
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