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Aligarh:
The Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University
which is one of country’s prestigious institutions of its kind, is
passing through a very critical stage primarily because of paucity
of funds.
A former senior functionary of the medical college, who preferred to
remain anonymous, told this writer, “Badly needed funds for life
saving equipment and drugs are being denied to this hospital which
caters to the medical needs of half a dozen districts in western U.P”.
This official who retired from a top post of this institution
recently, said, “The reluctance of the top varsity officer to
approach the Union Health Minister because of personal differences
is adding to the misery of nearly four lac patients who visit the
hospital annually”.
These “differences” between the
university administration and the Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi
are badly affecting the hospital. All other hospitals in a similar
category are also supported by their respective state government for
such grants. But this is not the case with this college.
In his visit to the Jawaharlal medical college more than six months
ago, Mr. Ghulam Nabi announced an increase in annual budgetary
provision for the hospital.
The minister had during this visit
publicly criticized the administration for what he described as the
“appalling conditions” prevailing in the medical college hospital at
the time of his surprise check.
Since then the medical college
authorities have introduced several steps for improving the
functioning of the hospital but, health services continue to be in a
“pathetic condition,” AMU officials privately concede.
Another common complaint in the public is that patients for whom
primarily the medical college hospital is supposed to cater are
being refused admission and are being directed to private nursing
homes.
This has been a common practice since
a long time but in recent years this practice has spread unchecked.
The university authorities are turning a blind eye to this illegal
activity.
The writer is
Editor, The Aligarh Movement Magazine.
Email: edit.amu@gmail.com,
call: 0-9997063595
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