The continuing shortage of doctors in the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and other Government-run hospitals is adversely affecting the healthcare scenario across Jagatsinghpur district.
Reports informed that out of 220 sanctioned doctor posts for Jagatsinghpur district as many as 91 posts are lying vacant. Six physicians have been sent on deputation to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar during Covid 19 pandemic; one doctor has gone on a long leave and another is undergoing training.
Out of 58 doctor’s posts at the DHH, 39 doctors are working. Sadly one anesthesia post is lying vacant for the past three years. When there is urgency for any operation performed at the DHH, a PG student from the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack is regularly invited. Similarly in Biju Memorial Hospital in Paradip out of 11 doctors only five doctors are working. In Kujanga, out of 17 doctors in severalhospitals, only seven are working. In six hospitals under Erasama block, 10 doctors are working against a sanctioned strength of 16.
Under Raghunathpur block, 11 doctors are working out of 24, in Balikuda hospitals, 16 doctors are on duty out of 26, while in 8 PHCs under Manijanga 14 doctors are at work out of 19 posts. In Naugaon CHC, six doctors out of 13, in Mandasahi CHC, nine out of 15, in Biridi CHC and other two PHCs, seven doctors out of 13 are working. 10 dentists are working in different hospitals across the district. A major chunk of the population belonging to the coastal rural areas and bordering villages of Erasama, Kujanga, and Balikuda of the district are facing issues as healthcare infrastructure is not as robust as compared to other parts of the district. Patients from Paradip face added problems due to its long distance from the DHH and SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack. Despite repeated requests to the district administration, no one is paying any heed to fill up the vacant doctor posts.
If any critical case comes, the patient is immediately referred to the SCB MCH, said Basudev, a social activist here. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has recently enhanced the bed capacity of the DHH but the Government has ignored the infrastructure and manpower crunch in the hospitals of the district, Basudev added. Sources informed that a Central team had visited Covid hospitals functioning in DHH and Paradip three days ago, where the team found no doctors in pulmonary medicine and anesthesia. As a result, the team expressed strong displeasure. Chief District Medical Officer Dr Bijaya Panda said, “After receiving numerous complaints from people, we have written letters to the Collector, CDMO, Director of Health, and Minister of Health along with local leaders regarding the immediate posting of doctors.”