Poonch District Hospital faces staff crunch Shortage of doctors hits functioning, Health Minister assurances goes to winds

Poonch District Hospital faces staff crunch Shortage of doctors hits functioning, Health Minister assurances goes to winds Nitesh Sangral JAMMU, Aug 8: Though the State Health Department makes tall claims of streamlining the healthcare delivery system in the state, but government runs hospitals of district Poonch present a very dismal image of claims made by the authorities. It is pertinent to mentioned here that Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma and Director Health Jammu Dr. Madhu Khullar on their visit to Poonch on May 24 had announced providing of three Assistant Surgeons and a gynecologist in the District Hospital within week, CT Scan Machine before July 15, and early construction of Blood Bank building. Interestingly, the concerned authorities have not taken any action for upgrade the medical staff for serve better health facilities in the districts hospital. Official sources said that the Maharaja Sukhdev Singh District Hospital Poonch is working with only 25 to 30 percent of sanctioned strength of doctors and paramedical staff as about 75 percent of the posts are laying vacant in the health institution. “Out of six sanctioned posts of A-grade specialists, the hospital has only one gynecologist. 25 posts of grade-B specialists, only nine are available and against 33 sanctioned posts of assistant surgeons, the hospital has only six. Fifteen out of 20 posts of senior nurses, 12 out of 20 posts of junior nurses and nine out of 10 posts of junior pharmacists are lying vacant”, he added. Sources further said that the Sub-District Hospital Mandi-upgraded in the year 1988, is even worst as out of 28 sanctioned posts of doctors, only four are available. Two MBBS doctors, one each in BUMS and ISIM, and a retired surgeon deputed under NRHM are running the hospital at present. He also said that the posts of B-grade specialists including Physician, Surgeon, Gynecologist, Pediatrician, and Anesthesia are vacant. Health facilities in the Tensile include six Primary Health Centers, three Allopathic Dispensaries, and four Medical Aid Centers. These centers are also without doctors. District Hospital Poonch, authorities also admitted the shortage of doctors in district hospital and other hospitals of the district. They said that the shortage of staff proposal sent to the higher authorities for provide the medical staff. They further said that the higher authorities also assured to provide the complete staff including doctors as soon as possible.