The world’s second most populous city’s aim to provide quality health care to its residents has hit yet another roadblock with the Central Government admitting that there is an acute shortage of doctors and specialities in its medical units.
“Two hundred and twenty three posts of doctors, 287 posts of nurses and 692 posts of paramedical and technical staff are currently vacant in premier institutes, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS),’’ according to Government figures released recently.
Safdarjung Hospital has a shortage of 110 doctors, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and associated hospitals has a vacancy for 91 doctors and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital has a vacancy for 87 doctors. Further, there are 406 vacant posts for nurses in LHMC, 217 in RML and 143 in Safdarjung Hospital. There are vacancies for 195 paramedical and technical staff at LHMC, 99 posts in RML and 45 in Safdarjung.
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The Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan explaining the reasons for the shortfall blamed retirement, resignation, termination, creation of news posts, non-availability of suitable candidates and low rate of joining at initial levels.
A senior physician at AIIMS added that over 40 faculty members are due to retire between 2014 and 2017.
“The Government has to initiate proper and immediate remedial measure to correct the situation to ensure that government hospital, which also provides education to future doctors, nurses and paramedical staff is not left crippled due to staff shortage. Hiring people on contract to tide over a few years doesn’t work towards institution building. The Central Government has to think long term,’’ said a senior physician at AIIMS.
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