Govt hospitals: Over 25% posts of doctors vacant in Sangam city
If hospital officials are to be believed, except for the TB hospital in the city, all other government hospitals are functioning with less than sanctioned strength of doctors
Key Sangam city-based government hospitals are reeling under an acute shortage of doctors. A status check reveals that seven of these hospitals that shoulder the bulk of patient load are badly hit by the shortage with 90 posts of doctors against the sanctioned strength of 356 presently lying vacant (25% of total posts).
With Mahakumbh-2025 round the corner, during which time temporary hospitals would be set up in the mela area, the shortage of doctors in the main hospitals of the city - which would also act as main referral hospitals - is cause for worry, district officials conceded.
They believe that the shortage of doctors needs to be addressed on a priority.
If hospital officials are to be believed, except for the TB hospital in the city, which has a sanctioned strength of eight doctors, all other government hospitals are functioning with less than sanctioned strength of doctors.
More than 50% of posts are vacant in Moti Lal Nehru (Colvin) Divisional Hospital alone which has sanctioned posts of 36 doctors and 18 of these posts, including posts of four medical emergency officers, are lying vacant.
Likewise, over 15% of posts at the busy SRN Hospital of MLN Medical College, too, are lying vacant. It has 181 sanctioned posts out of which around 20 are lying vacant.
At the same time, against the sanctioned strength of 41 doctors in Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital, 10 posts are vacant.
There are 40 posts of doctors in Dufferin Hospital, but here too a mere 29 doctors are working. Even in Government Unani Hospital, 12 posts of doctors are lying vacant out of the total 40 posts.
Officials of most of these hospitals claim that the process of getting the doctors is well underway.
Even Dr Vatsala Mishra, acting principal of Motilal Nehru Medical College, under which the SRN Hospital functions, said that the process of appointment for vacant posts of doctors is on. Some doctors will also come on transfer.
Acting chief superintendent of Colvin Hospital, Dr MM Tripathi, said that a letter has been written to the state government to fill the vacant posts of doctors. Even officials of Beli Hospital claim the same.
According to the district medical and health officials, 278 posts of doctors and medical officers are sanctioned in community and primary health centres of the district besides the Central Jail, Police Hospital, High Court Dispensary functioning under the CMO’s office.
Out of these, 57 posts of doctors are lying vacant. Requisition of vacant posts has been sent to the government. Also, 75 posts of staff nurse are sanctioned in community health centres but out of which also 35 posts are lying vacant.