Bhonpuram Khabri, Rudrapur: Haggard after waiting for the doctor to arrive to get his son treated for pneumonia, Anil Kumar Rastogi, was perplexed when he was advised to rush his son to a higher centre, after being cited of shortage of staff and equipment at the civil hospital at the Govind Ballabh Pant Agriculture & Technology University in Pantnagar of district Udham Singh Nagar. “Not just vacant posts but unavailability of doctors has paralysed healthcare services in this forty-bedded hospital”, resented Rastogi. The hospital also lacks a service manual and is facing issues with the recruitment and retention of doctors.
The university, which is the harbinger of the green revolution has only one hospital, catering to a populace of over 22 thousand people. The hospital is facing a shortage of staff and medical equipment, leading to difficulties in treating patients. There are only two doctors working here as against sanctioned posts of eight doctors. Dr Durgesh Yadav was arrested by the police on December 13 last year after a third-year student lodged a rape complaint against him. Ophthalmologist Dr Ila Singhal quit the job and dentist Dr Pankaj Agrawal is on leave for quite some time and one doctor retired recently. Medical Officer (MO) Dr Deepak Tripathi and his gynaecologist wife Dr Ritu Tripathi are the only doctors available here, and that too only in the daytime. People especially the students have to run to either Rudrapur or Haldwani for even small ailments. Patients often find it difficult to find doctors at night even to get a referral letter. In one instance, a patient was taken to the district hospital without a doctor’s signature.
The lack of technical staff also at the hospital has resulted in the underutilization of the intensive care unit and crucial medical equipment, including a motorised injector, a ventilator and an ECG machine. This shortage has led to the cardiac ambulance and ventilator, donated by an alumnus in 2014, remaining idle, even as patients are referred to higher centres at night. In 2015, a Mumbai-based hospital sent a proposal to operate the cardiac ambulance and also appoint technical staff, but it was rejected by the university administration. This situation highlights the urgent need for investment in medical infrastructure and personnel to ensure the well-being of patients.
“A few days back, Indira Colony in Pantnagar witnessed a violent altercation between two groups, resulting in a head injury to a man. Despite efforts to secure medical attention, the lack of availability of a doctor resulted in delayed treatment. The victim was eventually referred to a district hospital, however, the medical form lacked a doctor’s signature. The situation highlights the pressing need for improved medical facilities in the area”, said Hargovind Singh, a local.
“A local resident of Indira Colony in Pantnagar faced a traumatic delivery experience after being informed that the on-duty doctor was unavailable when she arrived at the hospital with labour pains. She was forced to be rushed to another hospital in the district without a proper referral. This unfortunate incident highlights the need for better emergency medical services and access to healthcare in the area. Officials should investigate and address these concerns for the safety and well-being of the community.”
When asked about the reasons for the poor condition of the hospital, a senior administration official at the varsity, who wished not to be named said, “The officials at the varsity do not contemplate the need to recruit doctors here. Their apathy has led to this situation. The hospital was developed as a primary health centre in 1960 and still runs the same status. It has not been registered as a hospital with the state authorities resulting in a budget crunch. After the state was formed, the doctors were appointed on a contract basis with a monthly honorarium of Rs 25 thousand only. It was raised later to Rs 48 thousand in 2015 and further increased to 56,000 rupees following a protest. They join as MO and retire as the same in absence of a manual. Nobody wants to work here for such a low salary and without promotions”.
Dr Pankaj Tripathi, speaking with TOI, said, “The hospital urgently needs three doctors. There should be a policy to raise the salary, perks and also promote the practitioners. The state government should understand the need and should intervene immediately”, However, he added that the Vice Chancellor has taken charge to address the shortage and a recruitment drive will soon start to hire four contract doctors. The doctors will receive a monthly honorarium of 75,000 rupees. The university administration also plans to recruit more technicians as well.
