Patients keep away from CB Pur government hospital

Shortage of doctors, facilities compel people to go to private clinics

The acute shortage of doctors and medical facilities at the district hospital has led to a considerable decline in the number of patients approaching the government health facility.

The hospital used to receive more than 1,000 outpatients on a daily basis and the number has now come down to 500, down by almost 50 per cent. The district hospital has been plagued by plethora of problems - shortage of staff, lack of medical equipment and other basic infrastructure, government doctors keen on treating patients at private clinics etc.

Poor patients from remote parts of the district used to approach the hospital and some times wait for hours together in long queues to meet the doctors.

 With the shortage of doctors and treatment not available, the patients are now shunning the hospital and have turned to private hospitals for treatment. It has become common for patients to inquire the government hospital staff about the alternative doctors available and approach them for treatment.

The staff at the hospital are themselves unhappy with its poor state. They say that it is a district hospital only for namesake.

The facility has no obstetrician and gynaecologist and faces acute shortage of specialists. Patients will be deprived of treatment even if one doctor goes on leave.

Not only this, there is neither staff nor willingness to treat accident victims at the hospital, they said. Private practice of government doctors has become a norm that patients have become well aware of the private hospitals run by doctors in government service. Obviously, while the treatment at state-run facility is affordable that at private clinics is exorbitant. Doctors on long leave.

Appoint doctors

A staffer wished to be unnamed said almost 300 child births are conducted at the hospital in a month. Since the obstetrician and gynaecologist went on leave, the patients have no alternative except to approach nursing homes. They said the government should take steps to appoint doctors and also ensure that those on long leave return to duty at the earliest.

District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Bhaktavatsalam said he was are of the shortage of doctors at the district hospital. He said doctors from taluk have been asked to work in the district hospital for three days a week.

He said the problems at the district hospital will be tackled in a phased manner.