Recruitment of staff at Sassoon will begin in next 8 days: Misal

The long-standing issue of staff shortage at Sassoon General Hospital is set to be addressed with minister Madhuri Misal saying recruitment process will begin in eight days

PUNE: The long-standing issue of staff shortage at the Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) is finally set to be addressed with minister of state for medical education, Madhuri Misal, saying that the recruitment process for the nursing staff and class IV employees will begin in the next eight days.

The long-standing issue of staff shortage at Sassoon General Hospital is set to be addressed with minister Madhuri Misal saying recruitment process will begin in eight days. (HT FILE)

Misal’s announcement came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of legislative assembly (MLA) from the Pune Cantonment assembly constituency, Sunil Kamble, raised concerns about several issues at the SGH in the state legislative session on Thursday, giving a detailed account of the same. In response, Misal acknowledged the legitimacy of the concerns and assured that the recruitment process would begin in the next eight days.

SGH serves thousands of patients across western Maharashtra and the surrounding regions. As many as 2,300 patients avail treatment on a daily basis at SGH. However, the hospital has been grappling with issues related to healthcare services, infrastructure and administration. Frequent shortage of medical equipment, surgical instruments and essential medicines has considerably impacted patient care, Kamble said. Furthermore, crucial departments such as emergency and surgery are not functioning efficiently, forcing patients to seek treatment at private hospitals which puts a heavy burden on economically weaker patients. Additionally, the hospital’s sanitation and cleanliness have been found to be substandard, with the condition of wards and outpatient departments drawing serious criticism.

Misal acknowledged the existence of these problems. Of the 2,350 sanctioned posts at SGH, 789 remain vacant, including 160 nursing positions. Also 50% of class IV staff posts are vacant, she said.

“Recruitment for these posts, which fall under the jurisdiction of the district collector’s office through TCS, has been delayed. We have been following up on the issue of staff shortage at SGH with the collector. The hiring process will be completed in the next eight days,” said Misal. She also said that an inquiry into the hospital’s cleanliness and sanitation standards will be conducted to address related complaints.