Shortage of docs in Y’nagar, health services suffer

Shiv Kumar Sharma

An acute shortage of doctors and other staff is badly affecting health services in Yamunanagar district. Patients have to wait for a long time for their turn at the OPDs for doctors to examine them.

Of 141 sanctioned posts of medical officer in the district, 76 are vacant in the Mukand Lal Civil Hospital, Civil Hospital, Jagadhri, community health centres and primary health centres. There is only one Deputy Civil Surgeon against eight sanctioned posts. Similarly, nine senior medical officers are working against 13 sanctioned posts.

Patients are harassed due to the shortage of doctors. Bala Devi, a resident of Jagadhri, says that she is suffering from diabetes and other diseases. She visits the Mukand Lal Hospital regularly but sometimes she has to wait for a long time, as doctors are not available in the OPD. 

“At times patients have to return home without getting treatment. Therefore, the government should pay attention to improving health services,” says Bala Devi.

Another patient says that he is not in a position to get treatment at a private hospital due to his poor financial condition. “Since government hospitals cater largely to poor and needy patients, the vacancies there should be filled soon and specialists appointed in all hospitals,” he says.

The shortage of support staff is affecting the working of doctors also. A doctor is forced to attend to 200 to 250 patients at the Mukand Lal Civil Hospital daily. This puts doctors under stress, affecting the quality of health services.

“The Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital is visited by around 1,500 outpatients and more than 125 patients are admitted there every day. But the hospital has only 17 medical officers against the sanctioned strength of 55,” says a medical officer.

Several patients have to go to private hospitals when they do not get treatment at government hospitals due to the shortage of specialists. However, the availability of medicines in the district is by and large satisfactory. As many as 387 types of medicines are available in the district hospital, Yamunanagar.

Dr Vijay Dahiya, Medical Superintendent, Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital,  says, “No patient ever returns without being treated. Doctors and pharmacists perform their duties beyond normal working hours, besides providing round-the-clock emergency, maternity and newborn care”.

Heavy rush of patients

Despite a shortage of doctors and other staff members, we are making all efforts to provide best health services to patients. The medicine, gynaecology and orthopaedics OPDs are visited by on an average 300 to 350 patients every day but only one specialist is posted in each of these departments. —Dr Vijay Dahiya, Medical Superintendent, Mukand Lal Civil Hospital, Yamunanagar