Shortage of Doctors: 78 specialist doctor posts lying vacant in Rudrapur Govt Hospitals

Rudrapur: The condition of the government hospitals in the US Nagar District is currently deteriorating as many hospitals have reported a severe shortage of specialist doctors and basic healthcare facilities which is seriously affecting patient healthcare. 

The severe shortage is threatening the health of patients since 78 specialist doctor positions remain vacant out of 113 posts As a result, the patient is in extreme distress and is having difficulty getting proper medical care.

These vacant specialist doctors' positions lie in the departments of psychiatry, dermatology, forensic medicine, microbiology, gynaecology, gynaecology and neurology. 

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The shortage has prompted patients to seek medical treatment from private hospitals despite some financial challenges. Apart from the shortage of doctors, the basic medical facilities at the hospitals in the district continue to deteriorate with no degradation.  

As per a media report in TOI, Only five specialist doctors joined different hospitals in the district under the state government's ‘You quote - we pay’ scheme in the past six months. 

The scheme was formed by the Uttarakhand government for specialist doctors in which doctors can tell their price of service and the government will pay for it. The government suggested that the scheme would help in mitigating the specialist doctors shortage in the state. 

Earlier, to curb the deficiency of medicos in the Uttarakhand hill districts, the newly appointed director general disclosed their 2023 motto, which was focused on improving the number of expert doctors in hill districts through the ‘You quote, we pay’ scheme. 

Talking about the matter, Ashish Papneja, a social worker, said, “In Gadarpur, despite the elevation of the primary health centre (PHC) to a community health centre (CHC) in 2005, it continues to function at PHC level. The CHC is short of seven positions, including gynaecologists, surgeons and dermatologists. Radiology services are also outsourced, and the ventilator unit lacks technicians. ward boys, pharmacists and staff nurses are also desperately needed.” 

Former health director Dr LM Upreti said the district urgently requires a cardiac lab and initiation of kidney and liver donation and transplantation services.

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