Shortage of doctors cripples services in Panipat, Samalkha
Mukesh Tandon
Panipat, July 12
An acute shortage of doctors and paramedics is affecting health services at Bhimsen Sachar Civil Hospital here. The 200-bed hospital, which caters to a population of 14 lakh, has 25 doctors against the sanctioned strength of 55.
The then Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, had inaugurated the new building of the hospital on ‘Haryana Day’ in 2019 after 100 more beds were added to it.
The government had announced plans to provide facilities like MRI, Cath Lab, CT scan, haemodialysis and blood bank. The CT scan and haemodialysis facility is being run on the PPP mode.
The blood bank was started only two months ago — five years after the announcement.
The MRI and Cath Lab facilities have not yet started. Also, a 50-bed Critical Care Block, announced during Covid, has not been constructed so far. An Intensive Care Unit for high-risk patients is awaiting approval for staff. Situated on NH-44, the hospital has been working like a referral centre and receives a large number of accident victims. Around 1,700 outpatients visit it daily.
According to sources, seven doctors were absent from duty for a long period without informing the department and eight doctors have resigned in the past few years.
Of the 32 doctors posted at the hospital, 25 are medical officers, two Senior Medical Officers (SMOs), two Deputy Medical Superintendents, three dental surgeons, three gynaecologists, a physician, and five eye, orthopaedic and skin specialists.
As per data, the nursing staff is surplus here. Against 90 sanctioned posts, 93 are posted at the hospital. But the shortage of technical staff is compounding the problems of patients. Expectant women have to wait for two-three months for an ultrasound examination, the sources said.
At Samalkha, too, the situation is no better. The 50-bed Civil Hospital is facing an acute shortage of doctors. Khattar had announced plans to upgrade the hospital to 100 beds in November 2023.
Dr Jayant Ahuja, Civil Surgeon, said the case files of all 15 doctors had been sent to the government for action.
“We have sent a request for more doctors to run the ICU facility at the Civil Hospital. The recruitment process is underway,” he said.
