CUTTACK: Shortage of doctors and infrastructure has crippled health care services in government-run hospitals in Cuttack, the home district of Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena. Of the total sanctioned strength of 298 doctors, as many as 117 posts are vacant in District Headquarters Hospitals (DHH), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Public Health Centres (PHCs) and urban hospitals in the district.
The large-scale vacancies have hit patients hard, who either have to wait for long hours to seek medical attention or fall prey to touts who lure them to private nursing homes, mushrooming in the localities.
The district has 57 CHCs, two Area Hospitals (AH), 332 Sub Centres (SC) and a district headquarters hospital. According to sources, of the 59 sanctioned posts, 39 doctors have been posted while 20 posts are lying vacant in DHH, popular as City Hospital.
The situation is worse in 12 PHCs where there are no doctors. Those are Asureswar in Nischintakoli, Raisunguda in Salepur, Gopinathpur and Khairamura in Badamba, Bhatimunda in Tangi, Badargaon and Pachanga in Niali, Debhbhuin and Sagar in Narasingpur, Kalapathar in Banki and Tulasipur and Talabasta in Damapada block. In urban hospitals, against the sanctioned strength of 22, only 4 doctors are posted while the rest 18 posts are lying vacant.
Similarly, 11 Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) specialists are working at present against the sanctioned strength of 22 while five paediatric specialists out of total 23 are in position. The CHCs in Badamba, Maniabandha, Maidarpur, Dampada, Adaspur, Mahanga, Jodum, Niali, Nischintakoili, Bindhanima and Tigiria are managing without O&G specialists.
Moreover, child health care is also suffering badly in several areas. Except for Athagarh Sub Divisional Hospital, Berhampur, Mahanga, Nischintakoili and Salepur CHCs, there is no paediatrics specialist in 15 other CHCs in the district. Apart from doctor crunch, shortage of attendants and sweepers along with poor infrastructure has affected the delivery of health services in various hospitals.
Due to unavailability of beds in some hospitals, patients including pregnant women are forced to undergo treatment on the floor.“We have apprised the State Government about the shortage of doctors,” said Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) in-charge Dr Bibhuti Nayak.