691 posts vacant in health dept in Chikkamagaluru

Out of the 2,018 sanctioned posts in Department of Health and Family Welfare in the district, 691 posts are lying vacant. The vacant posts have been posing a lot of problems in maintaining hospitals and in providing treatment to patients.

The district has 89 primary health centres, five community health centres and six taluk hospitals.

A total of 21 posts of specialist doctors (physician, Orthopedic, gynaecologist, ENT, ophthalmologist and paediatrician) are lying vacant.

A majority of the posts are lying vacant in Malnad areas comprising Sringeri, Mudigere, NR Pura and Koppa taluks. As a result, the patients are dependent on private hospitals and government hospitals in Mangaluru, Hassan, Shivamogga and also in Manipal for treatment.

“NR Pura has a 100-bedded government hospital. Unfortunately, the post of the physician is lying vacant at the hospital for the last several years. In spite of bringing the issue to the notice of elected representatives and officials concerned, the physician post is still lying vacant,” said farmer leader Vinayaka Malaloorudinne.

He said the available doctors have to treat the patients.

“If the patient is serious, then he/she is sent to Shivamogga or Manipal for treatment, which will be a burden for poor patients. The Arogya Bhagya scheme of the government is also not put to use,” he said.

He, further, said the situation was no different at Mudigere and Koppa hospitals. The patients face the problem of non-availability of doctors, negligence in treatment and lack of cleanliness as well.

As many as 38 posts of nurses (sanctioned posts 166), 101 posts of male health assistants (327), 177 posts of women health assistants (425), 60 posts of pharmacists (114) and 143 posts of Group D
(sanctioned posts 521) are lying vacant. The Zilla Panchayat has already written to the government to fill the vacancies.

“Of the vacant posts, 12 pharmacists, 23 lab technicians and 210 Group D employees have been hired on a contract basis. As many as 30 Ayush doctors have been recruited recently. All the hospitals have duty doctors. There is no shortage of staff in hospitals in Tarikere, Kadur and Birur,” said DHO Dr Mallikarjuna.

Rathnamma, a patient who had come for treatment, said, “Several protests were staged for upgrading the district hospital. All the complicated cases from district hospital are sent to hospitals in Hassan, Bengaluru and Manipal for treatment.”