Bali flags staff crunch at Tanda medical college

On the fourth day of the winter session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Nagrota Bagwan MLA RS Bali under Rule 62 raised concerns over inadequate facilities and acute staff shortage at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital (RPGMC), Tanda, Kangra district.

Bali said Tanda was the first medical college in the country to run a super-specialty emergency department, which catered to nearly half of the state’s population. He pointed out that while Rs 28 crore was being invested in robotic surgery, only 12 of the 22 operation theatres were functional due to a shortage of anesthesiologists. He urged the government to expedite recruitments and improve infrastructure at the college.

Responding to the motion, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu detailed the steps being taken by the government to strengthen the state’s health infrastructure. He said that when the present government took charge, many health institutions were operating with barely 40 per cent of the required workforce.

The CM said immediate measures were initiated at the IGMC, Shimla and Tanda Medical College to improve patient care. Transfers were being streamlined and the government was working to separate the posts of Director of Health Services and Director of Medical Education and Research to ensure better administrative efficiency.

Sukhu informed the House that earlier only PG students manned the emergency department. The government has now approved a dedicated Department of Emergency Services, which will ensure 50 per cent staff availability even during night hours.

He said Himachal had remained behind in adopting modern medical technologies, leading to delays in diagnosis. This gap, he added, was now being bridged through enhanced budgetary allocations to upgrade infrastructure in the health institutes.

Detailing recruitment plans, the CM said process was underway to fill 27 super-specialty posts at Tanda, along with 50 radiographers, 50 OTAs, 12 professors, 14 assistant professors and a large number of staff nurses. The State Selection Commission has also been tasked with recruiting 450 staff nurses, he said while adding that 10 new operation theatre posts have been approved, and an abdominal scan machine has already been ordered.

Process on to fill super-specialty posts

• The CM said process was underway to fill 27 super-specialty posts at Tanda medical college, along with 50 radiographers, 50 OTAs, 12 professors, 14 assistant professors and a large number of staff nurses.
• The State Selection Commission has also been tasked with recruiting 450 staff nurses, he said, adding that 10 new operation theatre posts have been approved.