Staff crunch hits health facilities in Chopal area

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, February 27

The government health facilities in the Chopal Assembly constituency are functioning with less than 50 per cent of the sanctioned staff. Out of the 328 sanctioned posts across all categories in 53 health facilities, ranging from Civil Hospitals to health sub-centres, 186 are vacant. The overall shortage amounts to a little over 56 per cent.

The health facilities in the constituency include two civil hospitals, three community health centres, 17 primary health centres and 31 health sub-centres. The acute staff shortage in most of the health facilities in the Chopal Assembly constituency was revealed by Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil in response to the question asked by Chopal MLA Balbir Verma in the Assembly a few days back.

Civil Hospital, Nerwa, is extremely short on staff. The hospital has just four doctors against the sanctioned strength of 14. “There’s just one specialist doctor in the hospital, with three medical officers. The OPD footfall on weekdays is 400 to 500 and 150-200 on Saturdays. The doctors are over-burdened and hence the patients also don’t get proper care,” said Rajeev Bhikta, a Nerwa resident.

“Apart from shortage of staff, there aren’t even basic facilities like X-ray and ultrasound available in the hospital. Knowing the condition of the hospital, people prefer going to Shimla even for the treatment of minor ailments,” said Bhikta. Out of the total 84 posts sanctioned for the hospital, 58 are vacant.