One of the issues that is expected to affect the choice of voters in the lok Sabha elections 2014 is that despite more than a decade passing since formation of Uttarakhand, those living in the sub-urban areas of the State still have to travel several kilometers to get best medical and healthcare facilities at district hospitals.
The situation is worse in the mountainous areas of the State in the absence of para-medical and medical officers in those health centres, which are functioning in mountainous areas of Uttarakhand. Unable to cope up with the callous approach of the State health department, expecting mothers and road accident victims are among the worst sufferers as their jeopardises for hours till they get admitted in the district hospitals. Referring of seriously ill patients without having valid reasons from remotely situated health centres to the district hospitals and base hospitals of respective districts increases the plight of seriously ill patients several times and also becomes the regular feature in the department.
Besides, non availability of beds in the different wards of the hospital increases their plight several times till the patient is get admitted in Government run hospitals. Despite the fact that community health centres, primary health centres and health centres, first referral units were also upgraded but referring of patients to district hospitals has become a perennial problem. Although State health department tired to fill the vacant posts of the medical officers in the state through Public Service Commission but the rate of joining the State medical cadre was quite low thus shortage of medical officers still prevails in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand.
Besides, attractive perks and terms offered by the State health department also failed to attract the medical officers to join the state medical cadre. It is also noteworthy that around 1,200 medical officers are catering the medical and health needs of patients against the sanctioned post of nearly 2,400 medical officers in all 13 districts of Uttarakhand.
One of the department sources who wished anonymity told The Pioneer that the department has been working to overcome the shortage of medical officers and para-medical staff in order to ensure best medical and facilities to all those patients who visit Government hospitals. “Stern instructions were already given to medical officers and in-charges of the health centres for providing immediate medical relief to patients instead referring them to the district hospitals or base hospital in the respective districts,” he said, adding that walk-in interview has been organised in order to appoint the medical officers and claimed that the newly appointed medical officers have to provide their services in the remote areas of the state.