PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
Alleging deteriorating healthcare services at Ram Dutt Joshi Combined Hospital, Ramnagar, the Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) and several civil society organisations demanded immediate corrective measures. A delegation met the chief medical superintendent (CMS), Dr Tapan Sharma and submitted a memorandum addressed to the State Health minister, director general of health services and the chief medical officer, Nainital, through his office.
Led by the UPP president, Prabhat Dhyani, the delegation pointed out that despite being a 100-bed government hospital, a large number of sanctioned posts for specialist doctors and paramedical staff remain vacant. They further said that the hospital is facing a severe shortage of physicians, surgeons, gynaecologists, paediatricians, emergency medical officers (EMOs), dermatologists, chief pharmacists, health inspectors, nursing assistants and laboratory technicians. “Such a huge crunch of doctors has left this health facility in dire straits,” Dhyani added.
The delegation further highlighted that the absence of a CT scan facility forces patients to seek expensive diagnostic services at private centres. They also alleged that the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and ventilators have virtually become non-functional due to the lack of adequate manpower and supporting infrastructure.
Responding to the concerns, Sharma said he had taken charge of the hospital only a week ago. He assured them that he and his team would make every possible effort to provide better medical care to patients and improve healthcare services by ensuring the optimum use of available resources.
