Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 1: Srinagar’s Lal Ded Hospital, the lone tertiary care maternity hospital in the Kashmir Valley, experienced a six percent rise in patient numbers in 2023, official data reveals.
According to data, the hospital’s Outpatient Department (OPD) treated 194,583 expecting mothers in 2022, while in 2023, the number increased to 206,025. This indicates a six percent growth in OPD patient flow.
However, the statistics revealed that the count of patients treated in the Inpatient Department (IPD) of the hospital remained unchanged, with 36,751 patients in 2022 and 36,753 in 2023.
The data also highlighted that the average daily patient flow in the OPD rose from 540 in 2022 to 572 in 2023, while the average flow of patients in the IPD remained constant at 102 per day.
An official at the hospital said that approximately 600 patients receive treatment in the OPD daily. He said around 100 births are managed at the hospital each day.
“Around 35 percent of deliveries are normal, while 65 percent involve caesarean sections,” he said.
According to doctors, the hospital manages both the huge flow of expecting mothers across Kashmir and the patients being referred from different hospitals across the valley.
Medical Superintendent, LD Hospital, Dr Muzaffar Jan said the hospital is committed to providing quality and comprehensive maternal care.
“As the primary maternal healthcare institute in the valley, the hospital strives to meet high expectations and enhance facilities to deliver quality treatment,” Dr Jan said, adding, “There is an average of around 100 new births and a bed occupancy rate ranging from 60 to 70 percent at the hospital.”
