In a strange development, a government hospital in Punjab allegedly ran out of x-ray films and asked the concerned patients to take pictures of the scans from their smartphones. The incident was reported from Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital in Patiala where x-ray film shortage prompted the staff of the hospital to simply asked the patients to take the pictures of the x-ray tests on their phones.

While owning a smartphone is no more luxury to urban populous, smartphone is still a distant dream for many Indians who continue owning an old-school keypad phone without frills. In the hospital, when the staff asked patients to take pictures of their scans, many patients simply became ‘ineligible’ to further get their treatment as they did not own a smartphone.

A The Tribune report quoted many patients who were rendered speechless at the strange request of the staff. 53-year-old Fuljaria, a construction worker, was quoted saying, “My son works near the Focal Point. Only he has a smartphone. Now, I will have to get my son to get my X-ray done.”

Another daily-wager, was quoted saying, “I do not have a smartphone. I have pleaded with many people for help but no one is ready.”

Meanwhile, the state health minister had visited the same hospital just two days before the incident.

Contents hide
1. The Facts of the Matter
2. Staff Cites X-Ray Film Shortage
3. Patients with No Smartphones Share Plight
4. “Saves money”: Medical Superintendent
5. Punjab Health Minister Visited Same Hospital 2 Days Back

The Facts of the Matter

“No smartphone, no X-ray:”, this is what several patients at a government hospital in Punjab had to deal with after the said hospital ran out of X-Ray films, and asked patients to take pictures of the scans itself.

While medical negligence comes in all shapes and form, the recent negligence is all the more shocking as the hospital was visited by the Punjab health minister just two days before the incident.

The hospital in question is the Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital. Patiala.

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Staff Cites X-Ray Film Shortage

It so happened that the staff at the Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital in Patiala cited an immediate shortage of X-Ray films. They further asked the concerned patients to take pictures of the x-ray scans on their phones.

Patients with No Smartphones Share Plight

While taking a picture from smartphone may seem like the most trivial thing for many, owning a smartphone still remains a distant dream for many Indians. A The Tribune report quoted many patients who were simply rendered ‘ineligible’ to continue with their treatment as they didn’t own a smartphone with camera.

“My son works near the Focal Point. Only he has a smartphone. Now, I will have to get my son to get my X-ray done,” said Fuljaria Devi, a construction worker who owns a simple keypad phone.

“I do not have a smartphone. I have pleaded with many people for help but no one is ready,” another daily-wage worker was quoted in a The Tribune report.

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“Saves money”: Medical Superintendent

Meanwhile, Dr. Sandeep Kaur, Medical Superintendent of the concerned hospital tried to save the face and claimed that if a patient does not have smartphone, the staff sends the scans to the concerned doctors. She further added, “This saves money.”

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Punjab Health Minister Visited Same Hospital 2 Days Back

The entire ordeal is all the more heartbreakingly ironic as the hospital is located in the hometown of the state’s health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra. Further, Chetan Singh had himself visited the hospital two days before the incident took place.

 

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