Long queues in Doon hospital as doctors sent on duty to President

DEHRADUN: Long queues were witnessed at the Government Doon Medical College Hospital here on Tuesday as a single doctor was available to tackle the patient rush at the outpatient department (OPD).
As viral fever grips the residents in the city, the hospital is visited by at least 1,200 patients daily. Many dengue patients and those suffering from malaria also visit the OPD to seek medical attention.On Tuesday, two doctors at the OPD were deployed on duty to the President, who is in Dehradun on a three-day visit, while another physician was on duty to the governor. Two other doctors are on leave, which left a single physician to run the show at the facility.
The hospital was ill-equipped to handle the rush even as dengue cases in the state capital soared to 963. On Tuesday, Dehradun also recorded its second dengue death this season after a 71-year-old man, a resident of Park road, died at a private hospital.
Confirming the dengue-related death to TOI, chief medical officer (CMO), Dehradun, Dr Y S Thapliyal, said, "Dehradun has recorded its second death due to dengue on Tuesday. We have directed private hospitals to increase dengue beds to admit as many patients as possible."
With increasing reports of dengue incidents in the city, patients flocked to the Government Doon Medical College Hospital to get blood tests done but were turned away. “There is just one physician at the OPD and the queue is so long. I will have to go to a private clinic,” said Mohammad Farman, a resident, who was at the hospital on Tuesday.
Another annoyed patient said, “I have been tired of standing here for hours to get tested for dengue.”
Medical superintendent of GDMC Hospital, Dr K K Tamta, has assured that more doctors will be put on duty at the OPD. "Our physician attended as many patients as possible on Tuesday. The situation will streamline from Wednesday as we will have more physicians."
Meanwhile, the total dengue cases in the state were recorded at 1,226. Haridwar has also recorded a sharp rise in the dengue cases with the total count rising to 203 on Tuesday. In Nainital, 55 people have tested positive for dengue this season while the number of cases registered in Pauri is five.