Friday, August 3, 2012

Fazilka district in a shambles

FAZILKA: This newly carved 22nd district of the state has recently celebrated its first anniversary. 

Even after completing one full year of its inception, the district lacks everything, from infrastructure to officials and staff for its different departments. 

The vital requirement of posting a civil surgeon, medical staff and other programme officials of the health department has also not been met till date. 

With the city accorded district status, the 100-beded hospital is also upgraded as a district hospital, but the government seems to have forgotten to appoint the required medical and para-medical staff. 

What to talk of appointing additional staff, the district hospital has no medical specialist, surgeon, gynecologist and pediatrician, while the posts of ophthalmologist, radiologist, blood transfusion officer and seven medical officers are lying vacant. The hospital, which handles over 400 OPD cases daily and conducts nearly 200 delivery cases, including caesarean operations, every month, in the absence of required medical staff, including a gynecologist. Call it a miracle, but it is sorry state of affairs of the district civil hospital which was being run without the services of specialist doctors and staff. 

According to official data, out of the sanctioned posts of 20 doctors in the district civil hospital, 15 are lying vacant. Posts of two medical specialists, a surgeon, a pediatrician, a gynecologist, ophthalmologist, radiologist, psychiatric and seven medical officers are lying vacant. Out of 24 sanctioned posts of staff nurse, 12 are vacant. Only two sweepers are working in the hospital out of sanctioned strength of nine. The blood bank of the hospital is also functioning without a blood transfusion officer. 

Different welfare programmes launched by the Union and state government such as family planning, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and school health scheme have been hit hard by the absence of trained staff. 

In the absence of required medical staff, a number of patients and medical emergencies remain unattended. Many needy patients who cannot afford costly private treatment are the worst hit. 

"The affairs of the new district have become messier and worse than before, because some of the officers holding dual charge are seldom available. 

The civil surgeon is sitting at Ferozepur and the common people feel difficulty in getting their official work done because they cannot go to Ferozepur and their work remains incomplete here too," said Raj Kishore Kalra, president of social welfare society, an NGO. 

Dr SP Garg, senior medical officer, Fazilka civil hospital admitted that the hospital was facing shortage of staff. "We try to cope with the rush of the patients. The higher authorities had been apprised of the situation and urged them to fill the vacant posts early," he added.

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