CAG report flags acute shortage of specialists, doctors in tribal districts
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report on public health infrastructure and management of health services in Himachal has indicated severe shortage of manpower, doctors and medical specialists in the state. The report indicated extra availability of doctors and specialists in Shimla and Solan district and almost 100 percent shortage in tribal districts. The report was presented on the table of the House during the recently concluded winter session of the Himachal Assembly in Dharamsala.
There was overall shortage of 41.47 per cent in human resources across all categories in government health institutions in the state as on March 2023. In the doctors category, compared to the state-sanctioned strength, the shortfall ranged from 9 pc to 56 pc in medical colleges and hospitals. The shortage of doctors was the least, seven per cent in Hamirpur district and the highest at 57 per cent in Kinnaur district. There was no dearth of doctors in Kullu district.
ICU service not available in many district hospitals
Overall shortage of 41.47% in human resources across all categories in government health institutions
The shortage of doctors was the least in Hamirpur district and highest at
57% in Kinnaur
There was no shortage of doctors in Kullu district.
In district hospitals, there was 33% excess of medical specialists in Shimla and 89% shortage in district hospital of Lahaul-Spiti
In the civil hospitals of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts, there was 100 pc shortage of medical specialists
In CHCs, the percentage of doctors was the lowest in Una dist and the highest in Chamba and Sirmaur districts
There was 13% excess availability of doctors in CHCs of Solan district
In PHCs, the shortage of doctors was lowest in Solan district and highest in Sirmaur district
In case of district hospitals, there was 33% excess of medical specialists in Shimla and 89% shortage in Lahaul and Spiti
ICU service not available in district hospitals of Chamba, Kangra, Solan and Lahaul and Spiti districts
In Community Health Centres (CHCs), the percentage of doctors was the lowest, 14 pc in Una district, and the highest, 42 per cent, in Chamba and Sirmaur districts. The CAG report also indicated the lack of rationalisation in posting of doctors in CHCs. It stated that there was 13 per cent excess availability of doctors in CHCs of Solan district.
The shortage of doctors in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) was lowest five percent in Solan district and highest 33 per cent in Sirmaur district. The shortage of medical specialists in case of medical colleges and hospitals ranged from 15 pc in Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and other hospitals in Shimla to the highest of 49 pc at the Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities Hospital, Chamiana, in Shimla.
In case of district hospitals, there was 33 pc excess of medical specialists in Shimla and 89 pc shortage in district hospital of Lahaul and Spiti. The civil hospitals of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti tribal districts there was 100 percent shortage of medical specialists as per CAG report.
The CAG report pointed out that in terms of medical specialists, Shimla district had a shortage of 7 percent specialists whereas nine other districts, besides tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, had 69 pc shortage. In CHCs, when measured against the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), six districts of Himachal had 100 pc shortage of medical specialists, five districts had 90 pc shortage and one district had 70 pc shortage as on March, 2023.
The CAG report further stated that in the district hospital at Hamirpur, all Outdoor Patient Departments (OPD) services were available, whereas in the remaining district hospitals, about 6-12 services were available, except in district hospital of Lahaul and Spiti where only 2 OPD services were provided.
The report further pointed out that ICU service was not available in district hospitals of Chamba, Kangra, Solan and Lahaul and Spiti districts. None of the civil hospitals in the state had ICU service. 149 out of 773 ventilators installed in various hospitals of the state were not working as per the CAG report.
The report also mentioned that 341.59 lakh quantities of drugs and consumables procured by the state Health Department had expired during 2017-21 period at primary and secondary level health institutions. The report also pointed out that there was significant shortage of beds as per the state-sanctioned levels in 9 out of 12 district hospitals as on March 2022.
