Kullu hospital gets radiologist after 4 months

Kullu, January 24

The ultrasound machine of Kullu Regional Hospital will be operational after about four months as the government today ordered transfer of Dr Praveen Kumar, MD radiodiagnosis to Kullu. Presently posted at Civil Hospital, Karsog, Mandi, he has been directed him to join immediately.

There are two posts of radiologist in the hospital but both were vacant since October. Even earlier, both the posts were vacant since November 2021. After protests by Kullu Sadar MLA Sunder Singh Thakur and orders of the High Court after a PIL was filed by Kullu Zila Parishad chairperson Pankaj Parmar, a radiologist joined the hospital on July 29. However, he was transferred after two months, again leaving both the posts vacant.

At present, there is no radiologist in any government hospital in the district. The patients have to go to private medical institutions to get ultrasound done at heavy price. The Health Department had ordered deployment of 13 new doctors in the rural areas of Kullu in October last year. Still four of 37 posts of doctor were lying vacant in Kullu hospital.

The hospital having the capacity of 300 beds receives around 600 to 800 patients daily in OPDs. The number of patients, who come for ultrasound, is around 70 to 80 in a day. In a day 30 to 40 patients have ultrasounds while the rest are given the next date.