1 doctor per 2,339 people in Panchkula, for 9,999 in Faridabad: CAG report

Haryana has a full of 5,721 sanctioned posts of allopathic doctors nether manager general, wellness services (DGHS), that is, 1 authorities doc for 4,431 people. The study mentioned: “It has been observed that sanctioned posts of doctors person nary correlation with the population. One doc is sanctioned for 2,339 persons successful Panchkula territory whereas 1 doc is sanctioned for 9,999 persons successful Faridabad district.”

According to the report, successful 15 districts, less doctors are sanctioned than the state-sanctioned mean of 1 doc for 4,431 people. These districts are: Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Jind, Kaithal, Karnal, Nuh, Palwal, Panipat, Rewari, Rohtak, Sirsa, Sonipat and Yamunanagar.

According to the auditors, it was observed that 7,270 posts of doctors, nurses and paramedics (as of October 2022) nether the DGHS were vacant and the disposable manpower for these categories was unevenly distributed. The vacancy presumption varied from arsenic debased arsenic 14.92% successful Rohtak territory to 57.48% successful Yamunanagar district.

In DGHS, doctors person respective designations similar Medical Officer, Senior Medical Officer, Additional Medical Officer, Dental Surgeon, Senior Dental Surgeon, Deputy Civil Surgeon, Civil Surgeon and Principal Medical Officer. Overall, DGHS has a full of 4,081 doctors (allopathic) disposable against their full sanctioned spot of 5,721 (including specializer doctors). Thus, the study says, 28.7% posts of doctors are lying vacant successful the state.

The CAG study says: “Posts of doctors were lying vacant successful each the districts but successful Panchkula territory wherever 12 doctors are posted successful excess of the sanctioned strength. Vacancies astatine territory level scope from lowest (12) successful Rewari to highest (121) successful Hisar.”

In presumption of percentage, 6.3 per cent to 49.3% posts of doctors are vacant successful the districts of Haryana, mentions the report, adding “this shows a skewed organisation of disposable doctors crossed districts successful Haryana”.

As per 2011 Census, the colonisation of Haryana authorities was 2.53 crore. World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended 1 doc for each 1,000 people. Accordingly, the CAG study says, the authorities should person 25,351 doctors. But arsenic per Haryana Medical Council records, the authorities has a full of 20,891 registered doctors (public & private) arsenic of June 2022. This indicates availability of 1 doc for 1,214 radical which is little than WHO recommendation. Haryana authorities has a full of 6,006 nationalist doctors, including nether the DGHS, successful aesculapian colleges and nether National Health Mission arsenic of October 2022. “This denotes availability of 1 nationalist doc for 4,221 persons successful Haryana state.”

The CAG study besides says that determination is shortage successful disposable manpower against the sanctioned strength, adversely affecting wellness services. “This shortage is rather precocious successful respective cardinal posts specified arsenic doctors, unit nurses, radiographers/ ultrasound technicians, pharmacists which play a precise important relation successful delivering broad healthcare to the beneficiaries. Moreover, disposable manpower has not been distributed uniformly crossed the districts and this inclination has been witnessed crossed each the departments and successful astir of the important posts arsenic well. Though the wide availability of specialists successful DHs (district hospitals) is good, determination is simply a wide saltation crossed districts starring to shortage successful galore DHs. The SDCHs (Sub Divisional Civil Hospital) person precise fewer specialists erstwhile compared to IPHS (Indian Public Health Standards) norms.”

The CAG study has asked the authorities to absorption connected expediting recruitment process successful bid to capable vacancies successful the sector. The study besides suggested: “In the abbreviated term, the existing unit should beryllium rationalised crossed districts and wellness institutions. While rationalising, it should beryllium ensured that the postings are done successful specified a mode that complementary healthcare professionals i.e., doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians, and different enactment unit are posted successful each wellness institution. Availability of infrastructure and different important components should beryllium considered during specified rationalisation.”

The CAG study besides said that determination was a shortage of doctors successful 21 territory hospitals, with Panipat infirmary topping the shortage array astatine 43%. In its effect to the CAG, the Haryana wellness section successful July 2023 replied that immoderate vacant posts are filled arsenic per authorities policies of outsourcing and contractual engagement.

The wellness section said: “The National Health Mission (NHM) besides supports wellness section to supply specialists, MBBS doctors, unit nurses, laboratory technicians, multi-purpose wellness idiosyncratic (female), etc. to tally archetypal referral units, labour rooms, peculiar newborn attraction units and different wellness facilities up to sub-health centre arsenic per guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.” The section besides insisted that the services of this manpower are utilised for the wellness services, adding that “they are serving the aforesaid patients arsenic served by the regular staff”.

However, the CAG auditors did not hold with the wellness department’s assertion, pointing retired that “the intent of manpower engaged nether NHM is to supply wellness services for assorted vertical programmes specified arsenic non-communicable disease, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakarm and Special Newborn Care Units”. “Such manpower is not engaged against the vacant posts of regular staff,” mentioned the CAG report.