42% posts vacant, Palwal Health Department grapples with staff crunch

Palwal, May 5

The shortage of staff at the Health Department has affected the delivery of the medical facilities in government hospitals and health centres. Of the 471 sanctioned posts, 199 are lying vacant (42.2%). The vacant posts include those of doctor, nurse and laboratory technician, according to sources in the department.

With a vacancy of 21 of the total 126 posts of medical officer (MO) and nine out of the 11 sanctioned posts of senior medical officer (SMO), the department is dependent on two SMOs and 105 MOs, according to the details available. Four of the eight posts of deputy civil surgeon and 43 of the sanctioned 131 posts of nurse are waiting to be filled. Similarly, 43 posts of pharmacist have not been filled up for about an year, according to reports. Reportedly, the 16-bed ICU set up for newborn, inaugurated three months ago at the Civil Hospital, is yet to become operational due to staff shortage. “Staff crunch forces patients to get referred to other hospitals or visit private hospitals,” said an employee on the condition of anonymity.

The patients reporting in the emergency wards of the hospitals, community health centres (CHC) or primary health centres (PHC) are at the receiving end, with no staff available to attend to them at odd hours, it is claimed. A majority of the accident cases are referred to other hospitals in view of no trauma centre facility here. With nine out of the 10 posts of radiographer vacant, the patients are forced to visit private centres. As many as 23 of the total 43 posts of laboratory technician are also lying vacant.

Besides the Civil Hospital at the district headquarters, the department operates two subdivision hospitals at Hodal and Hathin and around 21 CHCs and PHCs. While the number of CHCs is six, the district has 15 PHCs.

Dr Lokvir Singh, Civil Surgeon, said the matter was under consideration of the higher authorities and the vacant posts were expected to be filled up soon.