BHAWANIPATNA: Healthcare in Kalahandi district is ailing due to vacant doctor positions. Of the sanctioned 212 doctor positions in the district, only 125 doctors are available.
In the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) at Bhawanipatna, of 71 sanctioned positions, 37 are vacant. Under these circumstances, only those who can afford better treatment visit hospitals in Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar while the rest have to avail treatment in the local health centres. The DHH is the only referral hospital in the district and does not have enough space to accommodate patients. It has 270 beds but on any given day, patients can be seen sleeping on the floor in paediatric, medicine and gynaecology wards. On a daily basis, at least 720 patients visit the Outdoor facility of the hospital.
Chief District Medical Officer Brajakishor Brahma said recently 20 doctors have been appointed by the State Government for Kalahandi district and they will join soon. It is after the Dana Majhi episode that the Chief Minister announced setting up of a government medical college in Kalahandi on November 16, 2016 at Bhangari, on the outskirts of Bhawanipatna. However, there has been no progress in this regard.