Tanda medical college battles shortage of specialist doctors

Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR, August 20

Meeting the shortage of specialist and super-specialist doctors in the state has become a major challenge for the government. In the past one year, over 50 super-specialists and specialists have left the job or proceeded on higher studies.

At present, over 100 posts of specialist and super-specialist are lying vacant in hospitals and medical colleges.

The Tanda college, which caters to the medical requirements of the state, is the worst affected.

In the past six months, six doctors, most of them super-specialists, have left, resulting in crippling departments amid the Covid crisis. Most doctors had joined AIIMS, Bilaspur.

Those who have left the college included Dr Lokesh Rana of the Radiology Department, who is an expert in MRI, trus biopsy, MR arthrogram and alcohol ablation. These technologies are helpful in detecting prostate and bone cancers.

Earlier, such patients had to go to the PGI, Chandigarh, and AIIMS, New Delhi, for the treatment. However, Dr Rana had created these facilities in the TMC. He has joined AIIMS, Bilaspur.

Other doctors who have left the TMC and shifted to AIIMS, Bilaspur, include Dr Rupali, a physiologist, Dr Priyander Singh Thakur, a super-specialist in endocrinology, Dr Ashish Sharma, a neuro-physician, and Dr Navneet, a plastic surgeon. Dr Vikrant Kanwar, administrative officer, has also joined AIIMS. Dr Smriti Gupta, a paediatrician and super-specialist, has also quit the TMC.

In the absence of a separate cadre for specialists and super-specialists and a lack of proper working conditions, the doctors are not willing to serve the state.