Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 10 : Lack of manpower in Valley hospitals coupled with rapid growth of population from last few decades has pushed the doctor-patient ratio in the Kashmir valley to 1:1000 far below the World Health Organization standard doctor-patient ratio of 1:500.
Due to the scarcity of doctors in the hospitals, patients and the attendants have to bear the brunt and are left to fend for themselves. Large number of serpentine queues outside the doctors’ chambers in city’s tertiary hospitals is a common scene.
Patients from rural Kashmir are the worst hit. With hospitals lacking sufficient manpower, some of the patients who come from far flung areas had to return home without any checkup. In some cases, the situation has resulted in the scuffle between patients’ attendants and doctors with latter failing to cater to the ever growing rush of the patients.
Official sources said that around 10,000 patients visit GMC Srinagar and its associated hospitals every day with hardly few hundred doctors available to examine them.
“The Bone and Joints Hospital is an Associated Hospital of Government Medical College situated at Barzulla in Srinagar. It is officially a 125 Bed Hospital; however the present actual bed strength is 244. The hospital provides specialist care for all Bone and Joint disorders and procedures. It provides A&E (Accident and Emergency) care for patients involved in accidents and other types of Trauma. But the flow of A&E patients is maximum times more than the actual bed strength,” a Registrar on duty, wishing anonymity said.
The main reason for the falling doctor-patient standard ratio is that hundreds of posts of doctors are lying vacant and what makes the situation worse is Government’s indifferent attitude in filling up the vacancies.
“Despite ranked as first in the primary healthcare in India, hospitals in Kashmir continue to remain short of manpower with thousands of posts of specialists, assistant and surgeons, paramedical staff, nurses and class IV employees lying vacant,” sources said.
According to official documents, in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, 24 posts of assistant surgeons, 17 posts of specialists, 31 posts of nurses/FMPHW/ANMs and 28 paramedical posts are still vacant.
In North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, seven posts of assistant surgeons, two dental surgeons, 10 specialists, 12 Nurses/FMPHW/ANMs and 11 posts of paramedics are vacant. In South Kashmir’s Shopian district, 20 assistant surgeons, 18 specialists and 34 paramedical posts are vacant.
Posts of seven assistant surgeons, 12 specialists and nine paramedical posts are vacant in south Kashmir district of Anantnag. In Ganderbal, 15 posts of assistant surgeons, six specialists, seven Nurses / FMPHW/ANMs and 26 paramedical posts are vacant.
In South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, posts of 28 assistant surgeons, 11 specialists and 14 paramedics are lying vacant. In Srinagar four posts of specialists, one post of paramedical and four posts of Nurses/FMPHW/ANMs are still vacant.
In South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, 17 posts of assistant surgeons and 14 posts of specialists are lying vacant. In central Kashmir’s Budgam district, 129 posts are vacant. In Kupwara district posts of 35 assistant surgeons, 12 dental surgeons, 30 specialists, 120 paramedics, 43 Nurses/FMPHW/ANMs are still vacant.
As many as 202 posts are lying vacant in Jammu district. These include 28 posts of assistant surgeons, 16 posts of dental surgeons and 53 posts of paramedics. In Kathua district, 70 posts of assistant surgeons, 29 dental surgeons, nine specialists, 52 Nurses/FMPHW/ANMs, 91 paramedics and 84 class IV posts are vacant.
Thirty six posts of assistant surgeons, four dental surgeons, 67 Nurses/FMPHW/ANMs, four specialists and 14 paramedics are lying vacant in Udhampur district. In Doda district, 103 posts are vacant. Against the sanctioned manpower of 667, only 564 positions are filled in the district.
Admitting that Valley has a shortage of 600 to 800 medicos, Director Heath Services Kashmir, Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman said he has requested the State Government to provide doctors to the department.
“Technically, the shortage of medicos and other staff is very much affecting the healthcare. But we are trying our best to get doctors,” Dr. Saleem said. When asked where from the department would get the doctors, the Director said some of the doctors are at medical college while as some others have migrated.
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