Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 2: Although the District Hospitals and Sub District Hospitals in the State are facing an acute shortage of doctors and also lack basic infrastructure, the Government has reiterated its commitment of upgrading all the five district hospitals as Medical Colleges in the State from this academic session.
According to sources, about 50 percent posts of doctors as well as specialists are vacant in the three district hospitals of Kathua, Rajouri and Doda, which have been designated as the new Medical Colleges in Jammu region and are likely to start functioning from this academic session.
Sources said 200 bedded District Hospital Kathua which caters to a population of over six lakh people, alone has over three dozen posts of doctors vacant for a pretty long time.
Sources said out of three posts of surgeons two are vacant in DH Kathua and only one is functioning. Likewise, all four sanctioned posts of Gynecologists are lying vacant in the hospital. Besides, three posts of Physicians as well as one B Grade Physician, three posts of ENT surgeons, three posts of anesthesia, one post of pediatrics, one post of Pathologist, one post of doctor in blood bank are lying vacant in the hospital.
Sources said out of sanctioned 24 posts of consultants in hospital only eight are working while rest are vacant. Out of 22 posts of medical officers nine are functioning and remaining are vacant, sources added.
Sources said no arrangement has been made by the authorities to post the Orthopaedician in the hospital after the present incumbent went on leave over two months back. There is rush of emergency accident cases in the hospital as it is situated on National Highway and often emergency cases are referred in the hospital needing the services of an Orthopedician.
Sources said that even 70 percent shortage of doctors is in the five Sub-District Hospitals of the district and they refer patients to DH Kathua where from they are referred to Jammu for emergency treatment and in this process some times the patients dies in the way.
Sources said there is no medical facility available in 50 kilometer area from Kathua to Mahanpur and 25 kilometer from Dayalachak to Ramkote in the district.
Sources said the Rajouri district Hospital also has a shortage of 50 percent doctors and out of 23 sanctioned posts of medical officers only eight are existing, while the remaining posts are vacant. Likewise, out of 30 specialists only 22 are functioning in the hospital while rest are vacant. The New District Hospital, Rajouri has a rush of patients even from Poonch district also and lack of doctors often results into public outcry, sources added.
In District Hospital Doda which has also been upgraded as Medical College, there is a shortage of 12 assistant surgeons, one post of anesthesia, Junior orthopedician, one post of Pathologist and one post of Pediatrician.
Same is the case with District Hospital Kishtwar and Ramban, sources said.
Sources said under these circumstances making the new Medical Colleges functional from this academic session will be a daunting task for the Government as all the three District Hospitals in Jammu region which have been upgraded as Medical Colleges face acute shortage of doctors at present. These hospitals face shortage of both Medical officers as well as specialists to cater to the present rush and this puts a question mark on the wisdom of Government of upgrading them as Medical Colleges, sources added.
Sources said when there is no staff for running a District Hospital how can Government make the functioning of Medical Colleges possible at their place and this is a million dollar question.
Sources said the existing District Hospitals have totally become handicapped as they face the shortage of doctors in almost all branches.
According to sources, the three District Hospitals which have been designated as Medical Colleges and for which the process has been set in motion are not only facing man power shortage of doctors for a pretty long time but also no efforts have been made to fill up the vacancies despite the protests by the people.
Sources said that the shortage of doctors in the District Hospitals has led to a lot of public outcry.
Sources said in some District Hospitals the stop gap arrangements have been made by shifting the doctors from Sub District Hospitals to District Hospitals to cater to the rush of patients. The shortage of doctors’ effect the treatment of patients in the hospitals especially during the emergencies resulting into public resentment and some times it even takes a shape of agitation, sources added.
Sources said a large number of posts of doctors including specialists are lying vacant in these three existing District Hospitals which have been designated as Medical Colleges and where the academic sessions are going to be started by September this year.
But the Government is committed to make the new Medical Colleges functional from this academic session by giving admission to first batch of 500 students, 100 in each new Medical College.
Admitting that there is shortage of doctors in the District Hospitals and Sub District Hospitals, the Minister of Health and Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din told Excelsior that this is a real challenge to him in establishing the Medical Colleges. “I have always taken the challenge and I promise that the new Medical Colleges will start functioning from this academic session” he added.
He said all exercise has been done by his Ministry in this regard and “I am on the job and will try my best to make this impossible thing possible”. The faculty and space will not be any problem as Old Hospitals will be converted into operation theatres and class rooms while the retired faculty members including professors will be re-employed, he added.
He said the age will be increased for retired faculty after their reengagement up to 70 years and all retired professors from medical fraternity have given their consent to serve in new Medical Colleges, he added.
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