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STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Contrary to the lofty slogans of government about strengthening health sector, Sangarsh RTI Movement in J and K revealed that the hilly and remotest areas of all the districts of Jammu province are facing acute shortage of doctors.
Briefing media persons here on Thursday, Balvinder Singh, Convenor Sangarsh RTI Movement in J and K informed that about 184 out of 259 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC) in the hilly and remotest areas of almost all the districts of Jammu province are running without any doctors.
“In Jammu Province there are only 1,073 doctors available against the sanctioned strength of 1,926 resulting in shortage of 982 doctors whereas 129 doctors are working as surplus in different districts of Jammu Province out of which 93 doctors are working as surplus in Jammu District alone,” he said.
Singh asserted that though recently some doctors from the surplus category and doctors working without post were transferred with the intervention of the Chief Minister but to the utter surprise that most of the transferee have not yet been relieved.
Sharing detail of some of the worst sufferer districts of Jammu Province, Singh mentioned that in Doda District there are only 65 specialists and medical officers in place against the sanctioned strength of 210 hence presently there is a shortage of 148 doctors.
“Doda’s agony does not stop here about 34 out of 35 PHCs and CHCs are running without doctors and are being run by para-medical staff,” he said.
“Kishtwar facing shortage of 59 doctors in hospitals, at present only 42 doctors are in position in district hospital, sub district hospitals, PHCs and CHCs against the sanctioned strength of 98 doctors. Whereas 13 out of 21 PHCs and CHCs are running without any doctor and some of them are being run by medical assistants. Rajouri also facing shortage of 159 specialists and medical officers as at present there are only 140 doctors in position against the sanction strength of 291 doctors. So far as PHCs and CHCs are concerned 25 out of 42 are running without any doctor,” Singh said.
“Only 64 doctors are in position against the sanctioned strength of 205 doctors in Poonch. Besides 33 out of 36 PHCs and CHCs are running without doctors. In Ramban there is also a shortage of 76 doctors as there are only 43 doctors are in position against the sanctioned strength of 118 doctors. Further 25 out of 42 PHCs and CHCs are running either by para medical staff or without any doctors,” Singh maintained.
“Reasi District facing shortage of 64 doctors, 106 doctors shortage in Udhampur District and 94 doctors shortag e in Kathua District, Singh said.
Singh stated that RTI reveals that health institution in hilly and tough terrain of Jammu province are reeling under acute shortage of manpower as comfort of the influential doctors and para-medical staff was always given preference over the healthcare requirement of the people.
Singh further stated that there are numerous doctors in various hospitals of Jammu, who could not be transferred to hilly and remote areas, even after completing their normal tenure due to their political and other connections. That is why most of the hospitals in the hilly and remote place have become only the referral hospitals, while the Government Medical College and Hospital has been flooded with patients from other districts and the hospital administration is facing extreme hardship in providing better healthcare to all the patients, he added.
Ayaz Ahmad Khan, Mahesh Kotwal and Manmohan Singh were also present in the press conference.
