Chhatrapur: Vacant posts of doctors and supporting staff coupled with lack of infrastructure across the district have resulted in poor healthcare services in Ganjam, government data suggests.
According to the information provided by chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr Bijay Panigrahi at a Zilla Parishad meeting held recently, the number of total sanctioned posts of doctors, nurses and other staff for the district stand at 2,919. However, the administration has to manage with only 1,709 men and women. The district currently has 1,210 posts lying vacant.
There are only 189 doctors against sanctioned posts of 399. Even though they try hard to provide best possible services, the lack of quality if evident owing to little time that can be allotted to each patient.
Similarly, delivery is not being facilitated at most of the primary health centres (PHCs) in the district. The facility can only be availed at the district headquarters hospital (DHH), the sub divisional hospitals at Chhatrapur and Bhanjnagar and 26 out of 28 community health centres (CHCs).
Even though there are 90 new PHCs in the district, worryingly enough only eight of these provide delivery care facility. None of upgraded PHCs have the facility for delivery, it is learnt. The delivery facility at the sub centres is equally dismal. Only two out of 460 sub centres receive delivery patients.
If the number of beds is to be taken into consideration, there are 137 beds in the DHH, 80 in Bhanjanagar sub divisional hospital, 76 in Chhatrapur sub divisional hospital, ten in Hinjli, 572 in CHCs and 74 beds in 11 PHCs, taking the total bed count to 949.
The local MLA, block chairman and members have expressed their concern over the sorry state of healthcare services here. That said, the solution appears to be beyond reach in the short term given the lackadaisical attitude of the government.
PNN