Even a six-figure monthly package is failing to draw qualified anaesthesiologists to work at government hospitals.
Krishna district authorities are desperately looking for anaesthesiologists but few are evincing interest despite attractive salary packages.
District authorities under the aegis of the District Hospital Services (DHS) have on more than two occasions invited applications from qualified anaesthesiologists, particularly to ensure anaesthesia services for pregnant women admitted to government hospitals.
Dire shortage
In the case of the Nuzvid-based 100-bed area hospital, an average of 150 pregnant women require anaesthesia services every month at the time of delivery, Nuzvid MLA M.V.P. Appa Rao told the Krishna Zilla Parishad on Saturday.
“For over four months, we have been searching for an anaesthesiologist to be appointed at the Nuzvid area hospital but in vain. Presently, anaesthesiologists associated with private hospitals are being hired in times of need”, District Hospital Services co-ordinator B. Vijaya Lakshmi told The Hindu . Krishna Collector B. Lakshmikantam said, “We are offering a ₹1.1 lakh monthly package to anaesthesiologists willing to be deployed in the government hospitals.
However, nobody has responded to our notifications for vacancies in the government hospitals till date.”
There are vacancies for five anaesthesiologists in government hospitals at Gudivada, Nuzvid, Vissannapeta and the District Hospital in Machilipatnam.
In 2018 alone, as many as 9,386 deliveries were conducted in all government hospitals in Krishna district. The presence of an anaesthesiologist during caesarean deliveries is mandatory.
High demand
“We are offering obstetrics services by hiring an anaesthesiologist after paying ₹1,500 for one delivery during night time and ₹1,100 during the daytime under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakramam in hospitals where there are no anaesthesiologists,” said Ms. Vijaya Lakshmi.
There is a high demand for anaesthesiologists in the corporate sector, where they are offered lucrative salaries, thus leading to a dearth of qualified doctors at government hospitals.
