Shortage of doctors hits primary health centres in Agency areas

KHAMMAM: Shortage of doctors and staffers in primary health centres (PHC) in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district is affecting healthcare of Covid patients. 

Many posts of doctors and staff are vacant in area hospitals in Kothagudem and Bhadrachalam, while the existing staff are unable to deal with Covid-19 patients flocking to the hospitals in huge numbers every day.

There are 29 PHCs in the district — most of them in the Agency areas. A medical officer working in the Agency area said “We are not able to manage so many Covid patients coming here as we don’t have the sanctioned number of staff and doctors. We are trying hard to provide treatment to all but we are helpless.” 

According to a health department official, even before the pandemic, the PHCs did not have the sanctioned number of doctors and staff. Now, almost twice the number of staffers are needed to work in both shifts.

Officially, many vacancies for doctors and staff posts exist in PHCs. As per the records, there are vacancies for posts of 12 doctors, 43 ANMs, four staff nurses, 13 second-grade ANMs and 43 Asha workers, in the district.