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PMC transfers 3 ward medical officers to maternity homes
The civic body has been suffering from a shortage of expert doctors and staff, eventually causing inconvenience to citizens and patients
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Amid a shortage of expert healthcare staff in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) run healthcare facilities, three ward medical officers (WMO) have been transferred to maternity homes, officials said on Saturday.
The civic body has been suffering from a shortage of expert doctors and staff, eventually causing inconvenience to citizens and patients. All three WMOs are gynaecologists and have been handling clerical and administrative work at the ward office level for the past several years. However, the new PMC health chief, Dr Nina Borade has transferred them stating they can provide better healthcare service to the public by working at the hospitals.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Dr Borade said the PMC needs more expert doctors and staff to provide quality healthcare and services to the patients.
“These three WMOs are gynaecologists and they have been transferred to maternity homes that need such expert doctors. The clerical or administrative jobs can be done by other medical officers. The aim is to improve healthcare services at PMC-run hospitals,” she said.
The three WMOs transferred include—Dr Sarang Kalekar of Bhawani Peth Ward office have been transferred to Savitribai Phule Maternity Home, Guruwar Peth; Dr Sneha Kale of Hadapsar-Mundhwa ward office has been transferred to Annasaheb Magar Maternity Home and Dr Manisha Sulakhe of Wanwadi-Ramtekdi ward office to Rajiv Gandhi Hospital in Yerwada, said the officials.
The PMC has one general hospital and one Infectious diseases hospital, 19 maternity homes and 41 dispensaries. Pune city population is increasing continuously, and these facilities cater to a large number of citizens. However, given the shortage of staff quality at these healthcare facilities remains compromised.
A senior doctor from PMC, speaking on condition of anonymity, informed that most of the WMOs and Zonal medical officers (ZMO) have held their positions for several years.
“These three WMOs have been in their roles for the past three to four years. According to the state government’s new directives, the ZMO should be recognized as Class-I medical officers. As a result, all WMOs aspire to continue in their roles and eventually be promoted to ZMOs. However, we need expert doctors such as psychiatrists, gynaecologists, and paediatricians, among others, to work at the hospitals,” he said.
