GMC Amritsar reels under shortage of Super Specialists

Amritsar: The Government Medical College (GMC) in Amritsar, one of the oldest secondary and tertiary medical care institutes in the country is reportedly facing several problems which have been affecting its functioning. The hospital is reported to be going through an acute shortage of super specialist doctors and support staff, poor infrastructure facilities, allegations of malpractices, and doctors' taking commissions while prescribing medicines. 

Thousands of patients in north India, especially in the Majha region comprising Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Pathankot districts visit the medical college daily. 

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Following the controversy at the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) where the vice-chancellor Dr Raj Bahadur had resigned after he was forced by Punjab Health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra to lie on a dirty patient bed last month, the GMC's director-principal Dr Rajiv Devgan and medical superintendent of GNDH Dr KD Singh were the first to resign in solidarity. Their resignations were not accepted. 

Most of the posts of super specialists have been lying vacant in the GNDH for many years, reports the Hindustan Times. A doctor said, "There is no neurosurgeon, leprologist, urologist, cardiologist, and paediatrician surgeon in the super speciality department. Many other super speciality posts are also lying vacant here and due to this, many patients are forced to move to private hospitals."

Dr Devgun, said, "The government has already issued an advertisement for the two posts of neurosurgeons, but nobody is joining because of the disparity in the pay structure. A super specialist can earn much better in private institutes than in government hospitals. The salary structure of the state and the central government is the same. There should be a little change in the policy regarding the recruitment of super specialists, ensuring special allowances and other facilities. If all the posts of super specialists are filled, the hospital can function in a much better way."

As per sources, 208 posts of sweepers and several posts of ward attendants have been lying vacant for many years now. Dr Devgun said, "We have already asked the state government to fill the posts of sweepers and ward attendants. So far, we have been giving cleanliness-related services through outsourcing options." 

Alleging problems related to the prescription of medicines, a patient said, "Most of the doctors have been prescribing medicines of some companies' brand allegedly to get a commission. No patient is getting free medicine from the hospital. Even, despite the availability of good quality machines and equipment, patients are deliberately being tricked to get their expensive medical tests, including MRI, CT scan, ultrasound and x-rays, conducted from outside the hospital. The patients in an emergency are being asked to purchase surgery plates, threads and antibiotic injections from private firms."

Dr Devgan said, "Most of the tests are being conducted in the hospital. Even those expensive tests which are not available here are being conducted in a tie-up with outsourced agencies at cheaper rates. Similarly, the health department doesn't provide free medicine for patients to medical colleges. We have asked the government to provide free medicine at medical colleges at par with civil hospitals. So far we are providing free medicine in the emergency department on our own."

The health minister had also passed an instruction regarding this during his visit to the hospital last month where he asked the doctors not to prescribe particular companies' brand medicine. Patients had complained to the minister about inadequate medical facilities, including the unavailability of doctors and basic tests. 

Talking about the allegations of malpractices, a hospital staff member said, "There is a private chemist store inside the hospital which caters service under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. This medical store, in collusion with some senior officers and politicians, has allegedly been committing a scam, by partially accepting payment of medicines from the patients. This store was opened for one year's lease around eleven years ago, but it is still running without the department's permission."

The principal however said, "The reports of a scam in the Ayushman Bharat scheme by the medical store is just misinformation. But, we are acting tough against the medical store. A case in this regard is pending in Punjab and Haryana high court. Recently, on the basis of the court's order, we have collected nearly ₹ 2 crore rent from the medical store. Further action against the medical store will be taken as per the judgment of the court." 

Dr Devgan during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, mentioned in his resignation the "tireless services" to the oldest and largest public health institution of Punjab and mentioned the constraints he faced citing limited resources, funds and staff. 

A large number of patients visit the hospital, due to which there is a heavy load. Mentioning that around 2,500 to 3,000 patients visit the OPD daily, Dr Devgan said, "Similarly, indoor patients are also growing day by day. 50 to 60 files are made daily under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Many facilities, including Ayushman Bharat, are out-sourced. There are four counters to the scheme, but they are inadequate due to the heavy rush of patients. To reduce the waiting time of the patients, the company which manages the scheme should increase their counters."

As per HT, there was no facility for the family attendants of the patients inside the hospital, attendants were found lying on the ground and sitting on the stairs, and stray dogs could be seen wandering in the mother and child care ward. Further, the coolers for the patients were without any cover and the sewerage system of the hospital reportedly overflowed. 

A hospital staff member said, "Most of the toilets and washrooms of the hospital are not properly working. Patients sometimes face problems with drinking water." Dr Devgan said, "There is no shortage of infrastructure and equipment in the hospital. The institute is spread over around more than one hundred acres of area. Several construction works are undergoing in the area and sometimes stray dogs come there, but no stray dogs are allowed to enter the hospital's premises."

Meanwhile, the construction of a 150-bedded Punjab State Cancer Institute in GMC whose foundation stone was laid nearly five years ago by the then health minister in 2017 is still not complete. The due date for completing the work of the cancer institute was 2019, but one of the two blocks of the institute is still not operational. Commenting on that, Dr Devgan said, "One part of the institute, which includes radiation block and chemotherapy block, is fully operational and around 100 patients are taking treatment from it every day. The indoor and operation theatre complex is under process and its interior work is ongoing. 90% of the work is completed. The project was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic."

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