Dearth of doctors hits health services

NABARANGPUR: Health services in the district have been crippled due to dearth of doctors. Much to the dismay of the locals, the State Government apparently went back on its promise to fill the vacancies, with 10 senior Class-I Medical Officer and 96 doctor posts lying vacant in the public and community health centres here. The sanctioned strength of doctors for the district having district headquarters hospital, seven community health centres (CHCs) and 42 primary health centres (PHCs) is 154. Particularly hit are the poor people who cannot travel outside the district to avail of treatment.Similar situation prevails at the district headquarters hospital. Incidentally, the tribals of the neighbouring regions depend on the hospital which, despite having all the infrastructure including modern testing equipment, has fallen short of expectations, thanks to lack of personnel to man the departments. Key posts in the medicine, orthopaedics, skin, anaesthesia, pathology, gynaecology, surgery and eye departments are lying vacant, in addition to 15 junior doctor posts. This is despite the Central and State Governments pumping in funds to improve health services in the district under National Rural Health Mission.MP Pradeep Majhi blames the Government. A number of health centres and hospitals here are being run by health workers and nurses while some are even managed by fourth class employees, he alleged, threatening to launch an agitation if the situation persists.