The threat posed by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has forced the medical health and family welfare department of Uttarakhand to recruit 477 doctors but it appears that the health department is unconcerned on appointment of the nurses. Along with the doctors, pathologists and other health workers, the nursing staff is at forefront in dealing with the menace of COVID-19. At times their works assumes more importance since they are in direct touch with the patients all the times.
The nurses have to work in three shifts of eight hours in a day and due to shortage of staff many a times the nurses have to work in two shifts in a day. In view of the threat posed by the spread of COVID-19, the Uttarakhand Government has recently recruited 477 medical officers to boost its ranks. Interestingly, the health department created more posts of doctors at entry level to accommodate more doctors. However, for recruitment of nurses, no such action is visible.
The medical health and family welfare department has 1117 sanctioned posts of the staff nurses, 363 posts of sisters and 47 posts of matrons in its system. The department has only 1,097 nursing staff against these posts. Interestingly, the sanctioned posts of the nurses are based on the population of year 2011.
The medical colleges of the state are also facing shortage of the nurses and in absence of recruitment the medical college hospitals are banking on makeshift measures like appointing nurses on contract. As per the norms of agencies of like World Health Organisation (WHO), the health department of Uttarakhand should have at least 5,000 posts of nurses.
The Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hospital, which is the biggest Government hospital of the State has 94 sanctioned posts of staff nurses out of which only 76 are deployed here.
Similarly, 35 sisters are working against sanctioned 40 posts. To add to the woes of the hospital, the health department has attached some nurses and staff nurses to Gandhi Centenary Eye hospital. The medical colleges of the state also need at least 600 nurses but they too are facing shortage of staff.
The president of the Uttarakhand Nurses Association, Meenakshi Jakhmola said that the government should fill the vacant posts of the nurses. She said that at the time when the whole of the world is fighting a battle against Coronavirus, the nurses are playing a key role in the care of the patients and hospital management.
She said that the shortage of nurses is creating problems. Jakhmola added that the state government has done permanent appointment of doctors for the state health services but for nurses temporary appointments are being made.
She added that the nursing staff should be provided with the protective gear and masks for their safety. The joint director (administration), state health services, Dr A S Senger said that the department is inducting nurses from time to time and the applications for the nurses would soon be sought so that there is no shortage of staff.