At Farrukhabad hospital battling staff crunch, tragedy was waiting to happen

The surgery at the private hospital cost them Rs 20,000, she said, adding that they paid the bill after borrowing money from relatives. At Ram Manohar Lohia Female Hospital, which is battling severe staff crunch, tragedy was waiting to happen.

Only 65 beds of the sanctioned strength of 100 are operational at the hospital, which sees a daily rush of patients from Kannauj, Etah, Hardoi and Shahjahanpur districts. Patients cannot avail of medicines and pathological tests after 2 pm. The X-ray facility is available only three days a week as the hospital shares a radiologist with the neighbouring community health centre.

The hospital has two gynaecologists, one permanent and the other contractual. There are three medical officers for emergency — two permanent and one on ad-hoc basis. There is one paediatrician against the sanctioned strength of four. The hospital’s lone anaesthetist and medical superintendent Dr Akhilesh Agarwal was removed by the government Monday.

Still in his office, Agarwal shrugs when asked how the hospital would function now that he has been removed. “Last year, I was simultaneously working here and at health centres. Others will manage now. This has been the scenario always.”

According to sources, an anaesthetist would be borrowed from the adjoining Ram Manohar Lohia Male hospital. Chief Medical Superintendent B B Pushkar said the 200-bed hospital was functioning at a capacity of 120. “Every time a politician or a senior official comes, they ask for a report. We tell them about the scenario but it remains the same,” said Pushkar.