HP: Nurpur Civil Hospital reels under shortage of Specialists

Nurpur: The post for a gynaecologist lies vacant at the Nurpur Civil Hospital in spite of the Health and Family Welfare Department's official orders directing the post to be filled thrice in the last two years. 

As per a media report in the Tribune India, the post of gynaecologist has been lying vacant in the hospital since August of 2020. The post of a radiologist which was filled after two years also got vacant in January this year. 

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Pregnant women are reported to have been facing problems because of the absence of a gynaecologist. Under the Centre-sponsored Janani Suraksha Yojana, pregnant women can avail themselves of free clinical tests and institutional deliveries in government hospitals.  

However, due to the absence of the doctor in the hospital, they have to rely on the local private hospitals and nursing homes in Pathankot. 

Further, the ultrasound machine is also non-operational because of the absence of the radiologist in the hospital. The ultrasound of pregnant women from the period of pregnancy to delivery is done free under the Janani-Shishu Suraksha Yojana, whereas, they now have to visit the local or Pathankot's private laboratories to undergo ultrasound tests.

Earlier, the health department had issued orders for a physician from Jawali Civil Hospital in March, who had then joined and worked at Nurpur Civil Hospital for around one and half months following which he has later shifted to Jawali again by cancelling his previous posting order on May 19. 

There are reported to be a lot of patients amongst the patients visiting the hospital as the posts of ophthalmologist, physician, gynaecologist and radiologist have been lying vacant. 

The residents of Nurpur, Jawali, Indora and Fatehpur sub division in the lower Kangra district visit the Nurpur Civil Hospital. 

Despite the health and family welfare department posting orders of a gynaecologist and physician thrice in two years, the doctors managed to either get their transfer orders cancelled or have themselves adjusted in other government hospitals, reports the Tribune India.

The department had earlier posted three surgeons, two orthopaedics and two anaesthetics, but had failed to implement its own posting orders issued repeatedly to fill the vacant lying posts of specialists. The hospital is struggling because of the vacant posts of specialist doctors. 

According to Medical Superintendent Dr Sushil Sharma, there were 34 sanctioned posts of medical officers, including specialists, at the hospital. He added that around 22 doctors, including nine specialists, had been posted here. A gynaecologist, a physician and a radiologist were urgently needed and the higher authorities were informed of the same, he said. 

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