Bageshwar: In yet another incident that highlights the threadbare health facilities in the hills, two government doctors, Dr Girija Shankar Joshi and Dr Hem Chandra Bhatt, posted in the district hospital of Bageshwar resigned on Thursday citing lack of equipment and other resources at the centre. In their resignation letter to the DG (health) and family welfare department, the doctors said that they were tired of referring patients to higher centres as they were unable to treat even minor illnesses due to lack of resources. The chief medical officer of the district, however, has denied that the hospital lacks resources."The allegations of these doctors are baseless. The district hospital has all the necessary equipment and adequate staff. Doctors with good degrees often do not want to work in remote areas. So they are making such allegations,” said J C Mandal, CMO Bageshwar.TOI spoke to both doctors who reiterated that the hospital does not have proper infrastructure to treat patients.Dr Hem Chandra Bhatt, anaesthesiologist, district hospital Bageshwar, said, “We don’t even have heaters or slippers in operation theatres which are basic requirements. We have repeatedly spoken and written to higher authorities to provide equipment and facilities so patients can be treated here.”Dr Girija Shankar Joshi, orthopedician and in charge of trauma centre, added, “We know getting treatment in Haldwani or other higher centres is very expensive for patients and everyone cannot afford it. People from remote villages bring their patients to us in palanquins. But we are forced to refer them to a higher centre because of shortage of equipment and facilities.”Joshi added that he wanted to serve people in the hills but was forced to resign as he was unable to do so without government aid.Bageshwar MLA from the BJP Chandan Ram Das said that neither the hospital nor the doctors had approached him with their problems.“I will speak to the two doctors. They are experienced professionals and the state needs them. Also, the management committee of Bageshwar district hospital has no shortage of funds so I don’t see why all facilities can’t be provided there.”

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