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Staff crunch is Beli Hospital?s bane
THE STAFF crisis, which has further deepened with the transfer of all the four Emergency Medical Officer (EMOs), has even hit the emergency and OPD services at the Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital. The 175-bed hospital is being managed by only 18 doctors, who are also supposed to do VIP, post-mortem and other emergency duties, outside the hospital.
THE STAFF crisis, which has further deepened with the transfer of all the four Emergency Medical Officer (EMOs), has even hit the emergency and OPD services at the Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital. The 175-bed hospital is being managed by only 18 doctors, who are also supposed to do VIP, post-mortem and other emergency duties, outside the hospital.
The night emergency services have also come to a standstill, in the absence of EMOs.
Of the total 32 sanctioned posts of doctors at the hospital, 14 are lying vacant due to transfer of PMS doctors. The four EMOs posted at the hospital were also transferred recently. But the government failed to provide their replacements, due to which the hospital administration is facing serious problem in managing indoor patients, particularly during nights.
The posts of one cardiologist, one surgeon, one orthopaedic surgeon, one physician, one dental surgeon, two ENT specialists, one eye surgeon, one skin specialist and one superintendent are also yet to be filled by the government.
The remaining 18 doctors are managing a heavy rush of over 800 patients at the OPD daily. However, the number of surgeries have also sharply dropped in the absence of surgeons. The ENT machines, including audiometer unit, have shut down due to transfer of all the two ENT surgeons. The dental unit has also become paralysed with the transfer of dental surgeon about six months back.
"The problem is that if one surgeon is engaged in the OT, he may not be able to attend patients at the OPD or take a round of the ward.
At least 500 to 600 new patients come to the OPD daily. Sometimes, the OPD crosses 800 with old patients and we have to trade-off one service with another to get the hospital running with only 18 doctors," said chief medical superintendent of Beli Hospital Dr RB Singh.
Dr Singh said the problem was further compounded with the fact that some medical officers were regularly engaged in VIP, post-mortem or other emergency duties outside the hospital. Some also go on leave and this seriously affects the emergency and other routine services at the hospital.
"A letter was once again written to the government on Tuesday, requesting to make speedy posting of medical officers and other specialists at the hospital. This was the second reminder to the government," he added.
