Shortage of docs puts health services in coma

BARGARH : Even as the State Government has been launching schemes almost every other day for better healthcare services, a closer look reveals that the health facilities and services are in a comatose on the ground. This has led to a situation which has been forcing women to deliver on way to hospital or patients getting killed before making it to medical. While medicines are not available at some hospitals, patients are forced to sleep on the floor in absence of beds at others. And even if there are facilities in some hospitals, dearth of doctors has left the patients on the cross roads. Out of sanctioned 219 doctor posts, there are only 102 doctors in the entire district.

The district being strategically located receives patients from adjoining Balangir, Sonepur, Nuapada and Kalahandi besides neighbouring Chhattisgarh. But, in absence of required number of doctors, the patients are being forced to pay money through their nose at private hospitals. The plight of CHCs and PHCs is no different with one doctor available at some places while pharmacists manage at others. 

Except the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) and Padampur Sub-Division Hospital, there are 14 CHCs and 16 PHCs in the district to provide medical services to the people. But large scale vacancies have crippled the healthcare services in the district. It is also learnt that several doctors remain absent from their duty most of the time and prefer to run private clinics and avoid commuting daily or staying at their place of posting.

Sources said out of 71 doctors, the DHH has 33 while 38 posts including specialists in Medicine, Orthopaedic, Radiology, Skin and VD, ENT, Psychiatric are lying vacant. Likewise in Padampur Sub-Division Hospital, specialists in Orthopeadic Obstetrics and Gynaecology are lying vacant while in Attabira, Dava, Bukramunda and Bhukta CHCs are operating with just one doctor. 

In most of the PHCs including Tulandi, Larambha, Patarpali, Bhatukpali, Gondturm, Jamseth, Adagaon, Udepali, Dungri, Dahita, Buden, Sialkhandhata, Birjam, Tabda and Sarkanda and Jagadalpur, there is no Assistant Surgeon. Contacted, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Sabita Patel admitted to large scale vacancies and said they have drawn the attention of the State Government many times. She hoped that the Government would take necessary steps soon.