Date:26/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/26/stories/2006112602090300.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

Aurad taluk hospital is in need of treatment

Staff Correspondent

Bidar: People in Aurad taluk have to put up with a government hospital that does not have infrastructure and adequate number of doctors.

The hospital is housed in a large building built with assistance from the Karnataka Health Systems Infrastructure Development Project. It has facilities for 100 beds. Some fundamental problems such as power cuts and water shortage persist.

The hospital does not have a generator.

In the absence of essential equipment and machinery, the well-built operation theatre in the hospital is rendered useless. There are no engineers to maintain the equipment. The x-ray machine broke down in 2004 and was repaired only recently.

The hospital gets 400 outpatients every day and has only four doctors as against the sanctioned strength of 13. One of the doctors is the Taluk Health Officer and another the administrative head of the hospital.

The remaining two doctors take turns to serve on the night shift. In effect, there is usually only one doctor during the day.

Vacancies of specialists have not been filled. The post of the gynaecologist has been vacant for six years. The posts of the Paediatrician, Anaesthetist, ENT specialist, Skin and VD specialist, Physician, and Orthopaedic Surgeon are vacant.

Government officials said expert doctors were not willing to work in this backward place. The people feel the Government should make it mandatory for every doctor to serve in rural areas at least for some period.

"Why is this place backward? That is because health care facilities are not available here. If the doctors start working here, then this place will no longer remain backward," says Citizens' Agitation Committee president Shivraj Raga. He urged the Government to take steps to rectify the situation.

When contacted, zilla panchayat president Anil Bhusare said the panchayat would depute as many doctors as needed in the hospital. "State Government's assistance would be sought to improve the hospital's infrastructure," he said.