Hit by acute shortage, Rohtak PGIMS to recruit 1,166 staff

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, March 19

An acute shortage of doctors, nurses and other employees prevails at the PGIMS in Rohtak, a premier medical institute of the region.

Thousands of patients and their attendants visiting the institute on a daily basis are forced to wait in long queues and are subjected to harassment due to the shortage of trained manpower.

“Many patients lose their cool due to long hours spent in getting OPD cards made, consultation with doctors and getting investigations done. We feel helpless as we can serve them only as per our capacity,” says a resident doctor.

Faculty members’ appointment underway

Senior resident doctors were recently recruited, while the appointment of faculty members is being done by the Haryana Public Service Commission. The posts of sweeper, security guard, etc. are being filled through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam. — Dr SS Lohchab, Director, Rohtak PGIMS

Workload UP, more staff needed

Nearly 200 posts of nursing officers are still lying vacant. There are only 1,138 posts of nursing officers at the PGIMS, which were sanctioned more than 10 years ago. As per the present workload, nearly 3,000 nursing officers are required in view of the increased bed strength at the institute. — Vikas Phogat, president, Nurses’ Association, PGIMS

When contacted, Rohtak PGIMS Director Dr SS Lohchab said senior resident doctors had been recently recruited in different departments, while the appointments of faculty members were being made by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

“The posts of sweeper, security guard and other miscellaneous employees are being filled through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN),” he added.

Giving details, PGIMS Joint Director Monika said the recruitment of as many as 1,166 employees, including paramedical and clerical staff, was underway through the HKRN.

“Different departments had submitted their staff requirements — the details of which have been sent to the state authorities,” she states.

Vikas Phogat, the president of the Nurses Association, PGIMS, said nearly 200 posts of nursing officers were still lying vacant at the institute.

“There are only 1,138 posts of nursing officers at the PGIMS, which were sanctioned more than 10 years ago. As per the present workload, nearly 3,000 nursing officers are required in view of the increased bed-strength at the institute. However, even the old sanctioned posts are yet to be filled,” he laments. Phogat said no new posts of nursing officers had been sanctioned at the PGIMS despite the opening of new facilities like the modular operation theatre and more ICUs.

Dr RS Dahiya, a former professor of surgery at the PGIMS, who is now a core committee member of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), Haryana, said the number of patients as well as the bed strength at the institute had increased considerably in the recent years, which had necessitated an increase in the number of sanctioned posts.

“Patient care at the PGIMS is suffering due to the shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. The government should pay heed to this and do the needful in the larger interest of the residents,” he said.