HP: Thural Civil hospital reels under shortage of specialists

Palampur: The civil hospital situated at Thural in the Sulah constituency has reported being going through a shortage of medical and infrastructural facilities, along with multiple vacant posts of specialist doctors and paramedical staff. 

The Tribune India reports that it's the only hospital within the Changer area, which serves around 50,000 patients per year and nearly 300 patients per day but is lacking in medical facilities. 

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The posts of the specialist doctors and paramedical staff are lying vacant at the moment, which is reported to be causing inconvenience to the public. The state government had upgraded the hospital from 25 beds to 100 beds in 2018, along with increasing the posts of doctors to 14. However, the hospital has only around 35 functional beds after four years. 

The posts of a radiologist and a paediatrician have remained vacant for a long time, with the patients needing ultrasound tests being referred to the RP Medical College in Tanda. Sick children are facing issues due to the absence of a paediatrician and are subsequently being referred to the Civil Hospital in Palampur or private hospitals. 

Due to the absence of a radiologist, the ultrasound machine of the hospital has been lying there with no use for the last year. Similarly, the X-ray plant in the hospital has become obsolete and is in need of a replacement. 

Sat Pal, panchayat up-pradhan, and an Aam Aadmi Party leader told the Tribune India, "There are no arrangements to cater to emergencies at the hospital. Doctors tell patients to either go to the medical college at Tanda or the Civil Hospital in Palampur. Likewise, most of the accident cases are also not attended to in the hospital. Despite repeated requests, the posts of radiologist and paediatrician have not been filled."

Local MLA Vipin Singh Parmar, the Speaker of the Assembly said that he is well versed in the situation, and added that the new building of the Civil Hospital is under construction with budget allocations already made and efforts are on to complete the new complex at the earliest so that 100 beds could be made functional. He further added that the vacant posts of doctors would be filled up as soon as a new batch of doctors are available. He added, "Hopefully, by the end of this month, these posts will be filled."

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