Shortage of staff cripples services at Mandi hospital

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, January 8

The Mandi Zonal Hospital, which caters to patients from Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts, has been facing an acute shortage of health staff for the past few months.

There are only 14 doctors at the hospital against the sanctioned strength of 45.

A majority of employees from the hospital have been shifted to Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk, by the state government to fulfil the norms of the Medical Council of India.

A numbers of OPDs at the regional hospital are non-functional due to the unavailability of doctors.

Rajesh Kumar, a local resident, flayed the government for its failure to provide better health care services to the people of the state. “When patients living in districts have no access to proper health facilities, what will be the situation of those in remote areas who have to cover several km on foot to get treatment,” rued Rajesh Kumar.

Dipak Sharma, president of the District Congress Committee, said the Secretary, Health, should look into the matter on a priority basis and ensure that all posts of doctor at the regional hospital were filled.

He said it was unfortunate that the residents of the home district of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur were struggling to avail better medical care.

Chief Medical Officer, Mandi, Jeevanand Chauhan said due to the staff shortage, health services at the regional hospital had been badly affected.

Ever since the opening of the medical college at Nerchowk, there is no ENT specialist, skin specialist and psychiatrist at the Mandi hospital. Most OPDs had been shut.

However, the hospital authorities were still making all efforts to provide the best possible services to the people of the district, Chauhan said.

The CMO further said there should be at least two specialist doctors in each department, including gynae, surgery, medicine, paediatrics and ortho.

Caters to patients from three districts