Doctors pay from their pockets for sweepers

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 18

Most of the government hospitals in the district are running without sweepers, forcing doctors to pay from their own pockets to hire sweepers to maintain cleanliness.

More than 10 sweepers of the Health Department have been working at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital (KCGMCH) on deputation, which is being run by the Medical Education Department. Sources in the department claimed that these sweepers had not been working there as sweepers, but rendering other services, like those of peon.

As many as 24 posts of sweepers out of 32 have been lying vacant in the various PHCs and CHCs for the last several years. Even the office of the Civil Surgeon has only one sweeper against the sanctioned post of six.

At the sub-divisional government hospital, Nilokehri, two posts of sweepers out of three are lying vacant, while at the sub-divisional government hospital, Assandh, one post out of three is vacant.

The Uplana, Jalmana, Popra, Jundla, Kutail, Khukhani and Madhuban PHCs and the Gharaunda CHC have one sanctioned post each, but all are lying vacant. One out of two posts in the Ballah CHC, two out of three in the Taroari CHC, two out of four at the Nissing PHC, two out of three at the Indri CHC are lying vacant.

“It is our duty to maintain cleanliness in our vicinity, particularly in hospitals. I have sent request to the authorities several times, but to no avail, so I have hired a private sweeper and have been paying him from my pocket for several months,” said a medical officer.

The situation is not different with regard to other posts, as 16 out of 42 posts of pharmacist are lying vacant in various PHCs and CHCs.

“We have received grant to outsource cleanliness and security services at CHCs and sub-divsional hospitals and shortly, sweepers will be provided to these institutions. We have also asked the KCGMCH authorities to send back the sweepers of the Health Department, who have been working there on deputation,” said Dr Yogesh Sharma, Civil Surgeon, Karnal.