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In face of simian salvos, Omar caught napping
From napping in the emergency ward, resting in the cool environs of Regional Cancer Centre and roaming the CT scan and ultrasound clinic in the emergency wing, the monkeys have done it all in recent days at Jammu’s Government Medical College hospital.
Ironically, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not done anything concrete but express ‘shock’ over their images on a social networking website. He immediately washed his hands of the matter by directing Medical Education Minister RS Chib to look into the matter.
But in the last two weeks since the menace was first reported the Minister has failed to address the issue, apparently waiting for monkeys to attack the patients or spread infection before waking from deep slumber. The hospital authorities, on their part, have not only failed to take remedial measures but have also adopted a casual approach towards their presence. Angry patients and their attendants demanded it is high time Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad intervenes to order a thorough audit of the healthcare services in the State.
As a token step the hospital authorities tried to scare away the monkeys by bursting crackers but could not tackle the menace. After once changing their location, the group of monkeys returned to occupy their loveseats in the hospital corridors. Giving vent to his ire, an attendant waiting outside the CT scan centre told The Pioneer, “The State Government should rename the hospital Government Monkey College.”
“For last two hours I have been watching monkeys resting in front of the main door of the Regional Cancer Centre. Doctors, hospital authorities and security personnel are all aware of their presence but no effort has been made to either trap him or prevent his entry inside the centre where terminally ill patients normally receive chemotherapy,” a relative waiting outside the CT scan centre told The Pioneer.
Another relative of a patient from Doda said, “For hospital authorities spotting a monkey or two roaming here and there is no big issue. They simply go about their routine without caring much for the patients and their escorts.” His views were echoed by many present.
On the top floors of the hospital building, a large number of monkeys prowl. They scare away patients and hospital staff. The violent ones even attack staff and visitors. Doctors take extra care to avoid these areas. “Though we come across monkeys in the hospital premises on regular basis we still try and exercise extra caution. They are most unpredictable and you never know when they may attack,” said a junior doctor.
From napping in the emergency ward, resting in the cool environs of Regional Cancer Centre and roaming the CT scan and ultrasound clinic in the emergency wing, the monkeys have done it all in recent days at Jammu’s Government Medical College hospital.
Ironically, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not done anything concrete but express ‘shock’ over their images on a social networking website. He immediately washed his hands of the matter by directing Medical Education Minister RS Chib to look into the matter.
But in the last two weeks since the menace was first reported the Minister has failed to address the issue, apparently waiting for monkeys to attack the patients or spread infection before waking from deep slumber. The hospital authorities, on their part, have not only failed to take remedial measures but have also adopted a casual approach towards their presence. Angry patients and their attendants demanded it is high time Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad intervenes to order a thorough audit of the healthcare services in the State.
As a token step the hospital authorities tried to scare away the monkeys by bursting crackers but could not tackle the menace. After once changing their location, the group of monkeys returned to occupy their loveseats in the hospital corridors. Giving vent to his ire, an attendant waiting outside the CT scan centre told The Pioneer, “The State Government should rename the hospital Government Monkey College.”
“For last two hours I have been watching monkeys resting in front of the main door of the Regional Cancer Centre. Doctors, hospital authorities and security personnel are all aware of their presence but no effort has been made to either trap him or prevent his entry inside the centre where terminally ill patients normally receive chemotherapy,” a relative waiting outside the CT scan centre told The Pioneer.
Another relative of a patient from Doda said, “For hospital authorities spotting a monkey or two roaming here and there is no big issue. They simply go about their routine without caring much for the patients and their escorts.” His views were echoed by many present.
On the top floors of the hospital building, a large number of monkeys prowl. They scare away patients and hospital staff. The violent ones even attack staff and visitors. Doctors take extra care to avoid these areas. “Though we come across monkeys in the hospital premises on regular basis we still try and exercise extra caution. They are most unpredictable and you never know when they may attack,” said a junior doctor.
Prakash
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