The closed room of the medicine OPD of the district hospital and the patients and their attendants sitting there. – Dialogue
Ayodhya. Amidst the havoc of infectious diseases, the lack of specialist doctors in the district hospital is taking a toll on the health of patients. Compared to the sanctioned posts, only half the doctors are left here now. The problem has increased so much that even pediatricians and EMOs are being made to do the work of physicians, which threatens to affect the quality of treatment.
These days the 212 bed district hospital is full of patients suffering from vomiting, diarrhea and fever. The OPD is also jam packed with these patients. Meanwhile, there is a shortage of doctors here. As against the sanctioned 46 posts of doctors in different departments, only 22 are deployed here.
Within two months, one physician, one chest physician and one ortho surgeon have resigned. Another ortho surgeon was transferred after being promoted. Work is going on somehow in other departments, but services in the medicine department have started getting affected.
At present, there are two vacant posts each of physician and chest physician. Apart from this, there are five vacant posts of super-specialist doctors, one each of pediatrician, general surgeon, orthopedist, two each of radiologist, blood bank medical officer, cardiologist and anesthesiologist and four posts of EMO. Due to the ortho surgeon being on emergency duty and in OT, sometimes even OPD services get disrupted.
The only permanent physician is facing the problem of survival
Dr. Prashant Dwivedi is the only permanent physician left in the district hospital. Apart from him, Dr. Nanak Saran is posted on deputation. Dr. Arun Prakash Srivastava has taken casual leave. In such a situation, the medicine department is facing difficulties in treating patients. As an alternative arrangement, call-days of pediatricians and physicians are being arranged from EMO, but this can also play with the lives of serious patients.
There is a huge shortage of specialist doctors in the hospital. These days the pressure of patients has also increased. The government and higher officials have been informed about the problem. Demand for doctors has also been made through correspondence.
-Dr. Uttam Kumar, Chief Superintendent, District Hospital
