Imphal, June 09 2009: Notwithstanding the accelerated efforts of the State Government to upgrade JN Hospital into Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), the institute is still wanting in several aspects.

Nonetheless, if viewed from the State Government's all out-effort to install necessary infrastructure, it appears that the grand dream of a medical college will become a reality at last.

A survey conducted by this reporter in some wards of JN Hospital found most of the wards neat and clean signifying the changes the hospital has undergone in the last two years.

Construction work was also going on in full gear.

Despite the changes in the appearance of the hospital, the shortfalls and inadequacies existing in the hospital since earlier have been rectified till date.

Talking to this reporter, some ward in-charge said that the hospital is still unable to supply medicines and other non-medicinal items to its patients in sufficient quantity.

The hospital is still not in a condition to provide the required quantity of life saving drugs like Dextrose (5 pc), DNS, Electrolyte-M, normal saline etc which are often used in emergency cases.

Nurses have been managing with whatever little quantity supplied, they disclosed.

This reporter observed only three number of life saving drugs in a ward having more than 20 beds.

The in-charge of the ward said that in case these life saving drugs must be used in an emergency case, the patient party would be asked to buy the same drugs as replacement as further delivery of these drugs has not been made yet.

It is a common practice for patient parties to buy cotton themselves for use in operation theatre and labour room as the quantity supplied to the hospital is far short of the actual quantity needed in such cases.

There is no supply of methajin injection though it is highly essential at times of emergency during surgical operation and child delivery, conveyed some wards' in-charge.

When asked to buy a drug, patient parties do not mind much but when asked to buy bandage and cotton, the discontentment is palpable.

Bio-septic items provided in the hospital are quite inadequate even though it is essential for nurses to wash their hands everytime after handling each patient.

Often sodium hypo-chloride spirit and soaps run out of stock compelling the nurses to buy such items with their own money.

There have been times when nurses had to buy even cotton, bandage and plaster.

Interestingly, the State Government assured the visiting MCI team recently that construction of physical infrastructure and recruitment of the requisite number of teaching and non-teaching staff would be completed within the current month or next month.

However, the State Government has not be paying monthly salaries of JN Hospital doctors and staff since the month of March.

Attempts to call on the Medical Superintendent went in vain as it was said that the Medical Superintendent was having an important meeting.

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