Shimla
There is a huge shortage of specialists in other hospitals, including medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh. There is a shortage of 15 percent of doctors in the state’s largest hospital, IGMC and 49 percent in Chamyana Hospital. Apart from this, many posts of paramedical staff and nurses are also vacant. This has been revealed in the CAG report. Health Minister Dhaniram Shandil has placed the CAG report on the assembly table.
According to CAG, in the year 2023, apart from IGMC, there is a shortage of 33 percent of specialist doctors in district hospitals. There are many hospitals in which OPD has not run due to shortage of doctors. Maternal mortality and neonatal mortality were not reviewed during the years 2016-17 to 2020-21. CAG has revealed that during 2016-21, two maternal deaths and 37 newborn deaths occurred. At the same time, in 2016-21, 20.39 percent of mothers were not given adequate amounts of iron and folic acid.
The medicine purchase cell formed to buy medicines has been completely inactive. Medicines were not bought from time to time. Patients did not get free medicines in hospitals. There was a huge shortage of beds in hospitals. Two patients were admitted on one bed. According to the CAG report, one district hospital, three community health centers, and 16 primary health centers in the state do not have X-ray facilities.
