Health department continues to face acute shortage of doctors

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, Feb 6: Though much has been spoken about improvement in the health sector and going one step ahead, the government has been claiming about bringing a revolution, the health department continues to face acute shortage of doctors. As per the Indian Public Health standard, a total of 11,529 doctors are required to serve the people properly. Though it is impossible to recruit all the required doctors, yet at least a total of 5,226 doctors are required to smoothly run 25 district hospitals, 14 SDCHs, 151 FRUs/CHCs and 1014 PHCs and SDs in the State. Surprisingly, due to the ibility or indifferent attitude of the State Health Department, only 2,922 doctors are rendering their service in the government-run hospitals. This has come to the light in the annual report of the general secretary of Assam Medical Service Association (AMSA) read out in the open session of the 44th annual general conference of AMSA at Mangaldai on Sunday.

Working president of the tiol body of government doctors, Dr Taba Khan, while  taking part in the open session as a guest of honour, expressed concern over the growing threat on the government doctors in the work field and raised the demand to introduce a uniform tiol policy across the tion to ensure the safety and security of on-duty government doctors.

 “Though the matter of security is a State issue, but in view of the seriousness of the issue, the Central Government should take up the matter,” he said. He drew the attention of the government to several other issues relevant to government medical professiols, including their fincial security, working conditions and working hours. He also demanded for the reservation of seats in PG courses for in-service doctors and vehemently opposed the government decision to authorize professiols of altertive medicine to prescribe allopathic medicines just after completion of a three-month certificate bridge course, observing it to be a life-threatening step.

Vice-president of the All India Doctors Body, Dr. J Kuthir Vel, Mangaldai legislator Gurujyoti Das and Dr. Hitesh Barua of Nemcare Hospital, Guwahati attended the open session presided over by outgoing president of AMSA, Dr Dilip Deba Sarma, as guests of honour. Joint Director of Health Services of Darrang, Dr. Rup Lal Noonisa earlier extended a hearty welcome to all the guests, office bearers of AMSA and all the delegates while organizing secretary of the organizing committee, Dr. ni Gopal Saharia explained the objectives of it.

 Earlier, Executive Director of NHM, Assam, Dr. Achyut Kr Baisya iugurated the open session by lighting the earthen lamp in traditiol way. In the open session, former president of AMSA, Dr Chandra Dhar Deka released the souvenir published to mark the annual general conference. Synchronizing with the session, the organizing committee offered felicitation to nogerian medical professiol Dr. Sirajul Hoque, retired medical professiol Dr Lila Dhar Brahma- the first BAMS degree holder from the tribal community in the Northeast and octogerian women activist Rani Devi with a traditiol Assamese Ban Kahi, a cheleng sadar, gamosa, a letter of citation  and a bouquet.

In the three-day long conference of AMSA participated by more than 300 delegates coming from every district of the State, the delegate meeting on Sunday  unimously elected the new executive body of the AMSA for the next two years term with Dr Paresh Kalita as the president, Dr Ranjit Hazarika and Dr ni Gopal Saharia as the vice-presidents while the current general secretary Dr Kak Ch Talukdar was re-nomited for the second term.