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Chandigarh planning to hire radiologists, anaesthetists on honorarium basis amid shortage
No regular radiologists available at civil hospitals in Manimajra, Sectors 45 and 22, leaving eight ultrasound machines unused
Looking to meet the shortage of anaesthetists and radiologists in the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and its allied civil hospitals in Manimajra, Sector 45 and Sector 22, the UT health department is planning to empanel qualified professionals on an honorariums basis.
At present, the UT health department is having no regular radiologists in any of the three civil hospitals due to which as many as eight ultrasound machines are lying unused. At GMSH-16, the ultrasound machines are lying underutilised as the hospital only has three regular radiologists — who can barely use the machines in one shift.
Speaking about the patient rush at the hospitals, UT health secretary Yashpal Garg said, “At GMSH-16 and the civil hospitals, hundreds of pregnant ladies report every month and doctors have to conduct two ultrasounds in different trimesters. Due to high footfall, the waiting period for the tests increases to sometimes as long as one month.”
Besides radiologists, the UT health department is also facing a shortage of anaesthetists, with Garg saying, “Earlier, the UT health department used to empanel anaesthetists for emergency surgeries at the three civil hospitals and the honorarium of about ₹1,500 per case for major surgeries and ₹700 per case for minor surgeries was being provided to them.”
“However, the practice was stopped and anaesthetists were being sent on rotation basis from GMSH-16 to civil hospitals. Since GMSH-16 is also facing a shortage, the doctors can’t be sent on rotation,” he added.
Notably, GMSH-16 is frequently being forced to defer elective surgeries amid the shortage.
The practice of health departments hiring qualified professionals on a case-to-case payment basis has been put to use in Punjab and Haryana. As per the available information, ultrasound honorariums of ₹250 to ₹300 are being paid to empanelled radiologists, while anaesthetists are being paid ₹1,500 for major surgeries and ₹700 for minor.
Garg said the UT was planning a similar proposal to meet the shortage of staff, adding, “As a part of a pilot project for one year, we will first start empanelling qualified radiologists for conducting ultrasounds, and anaesthetists for only major surgeries.”
“However the per case honorarium proposed needs to be cross checked from Punjab/Haryana and thereafter, such honorarium (lowest one) will be clearly indicated in the public notice for inviting applications from the qualified professionals for empanelment in fair and transparent manner,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that UT is also planning to rope in private firms to set up diagnostic centres att he city’s government hospitals, in public-private partnership (PPP) mode, to help cut the waiting time for various medical tests.
The move comes after the Centre appreciated UT health department’s efforts at setting up an MRI scan facility at GMSH-16 in PPP mode, at a rate cheaper than private and other government facilities. Now, the UT health department is planning to replicate this model for other tests, including—CT scans, ultrasound, PET (positron emission tomography) scans, echocardiogram (echo) and others, at GMSH-16, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, and three civil hospitals.
