The medical wing of the CRPF, with a sanctioned strength of 3,083 personnel, has a vacancy of 43 per cent. This is when the sanctioned strength is already a little below just one per cent of the 3.25-lakh-strong CRPF.
The figure of one per cent medical/paramedical staff in the CRPF is already on the lower side in a Force which is continuously deployed across various theatres and there is a vacancy of 43 per cent of the medical and paramedical staff, officials said.
The details relating to the vacancy position in the medical ranks was shared by the Director (Medical) during a review meeting held by paramilitary Director General AP Maheshwari earlier this month.
The wing has been asked to hire doctors on contract basis for the next three months as the Force has recorded 369 Covid-19 positive cases which include two deaths and 226 recoveries.
The Director (Medical) Dr HL Raskaran refused to visit quarantine centres and Covid Care Centres of the CRPF citing health conditions, senior officials said.
During the meeting, the Director (Medical) presented the detailed status/pathogen and the increasing number of cases of Covid-19in CRPF and status of Covid Care Centre, Covid Care Health Centre available in and outside Delhi. Availability of PPEs, trained doctors, paramedical staff in these centres and arrangements made and available in the CRPF were also presented by him during the meeting.
While the DG directed to Raskaran to ensure periodical visits to quarantine centre where Covid-19 patients kept but the Director (Medical) expressed his inability to do so due to his age factor and other health conditionsbeing in high risk category. However, Raskaran said during the meeting that all basic facilities have been made available to Covid-19 patients and all instructions issued to Medical Officers on ground, officials said quoting from the minutes of the meeting.
Raskaran also told the top CRPF brass during the meeting that necessity to converse with patients on telephone was not felt by him but he, Director (Medical), was always available for advice and guidance. He further said that speaking to patients, visiting them and making arrangements for food are in the purview of administrative authorities.
The CRPF DG directed the Director (Medical) to take the pandemic seriously and keep a close watch on Covid-19 cases and patients. The also directed that if there is need to acquire/hire additional land, building or hotel, the same may be worked out by Inspector General (Northern Sector).
Maheshwari also expressed displeasure with Raskaran’s contentions on the Covid infrastructure in the paramilitary as he had not even visited 31 Battalion campus here which had reported 139 positive cases out of which one Sub Inspector had succumbed to the coronavirus infection. Now, 134 from the 31 Battalion have recovered from the disease.
Last month, as many as 200 CRPF personnel including the DG himself had to be quarantined after a medical officer of the paramilitary facility here had tested positive for Covid-19.
There is a sanctioned strength of about 650 doctors including the veterinary doctors, Group A paramedics/matron are required to be four in number followed by about 45 Group A non-gazetted paramedics, over 60 Group B paramedics, 450 other Group B paramedics like pharmacists and physiotherapists and veterinary personnel.
In the Group C paramedics category in the rank of Assistant Sub Inspector, about 640 personnel are required but there is vacancy in all the ranks.