Union Health Ministry punctures Dispur’s tall claims

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: There are only 56 dental surgeons in villages across Assam as against the requirement of 354. There is a shortfall of 572 specialists — 171 surgeons, 95 obstetricians and gynaecologists, 171 physicians and 135 paediatricians — besides a shortfall of 87 radiographers.

These figures revealed in the latest report of the Union Health Ministry have punctured Dispur’s tall claims of creating quality Healthcare facilities and infrastructures even in the remotest corner of the State.

Even though the report — Rural Health Statistics (2018-19) — has highlighted some positive aspects like the increasing number of Health centres and hospital buildings, it says Assam continues to be one of the States where many doctors, nurses and other Health workers refuse to serve the rural populace.

The Assam government has built 1,412 buildings for Health sub-centres and 336 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) besides appointing 549 Allopathic doctors and 5,783 Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (ANM) nurses between 2005 and 2019 (till March 31). Sources, however, said many of the doctors refused to take up the rural postings and some even took voluntary retirement after joining their jobs in the villages.

The report adds that though rural Assam needs 6,374 sub-centres and HWC-SC (Health and Wellness Centres upgraded from Sub Centres) yet the State is running with a shortfall of 1,731 which is 27 per cent of the total number. It also says that although rural Assam needs 4,643 male health workers, it has only 3,080. The State has, however, appointed female health workers twice the size of its requirement. It adds that there are 9,010 female health workers as against the requirement of 4,643. The question of excess appointment of female health workers remained unanswered.

On other hand, out of the 698 Primary Health Centres, only 44.4 per cent runs on the 24 x 7 basis, 79.7 per cent has labour rooms, only six per cent has operation theatres and 38.3 per cent has four beds.

On the Union Health Ministry’s report, a retired Principal of the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital said, “The Government has pumped massive amount of funds to construct buildings of hospitals, health centres and purchasing equipments and machines in the recent years.

“But mere buildings and machines cannot make quality Healthcare accessible to all. Unless we produce the adequate number of doctors, nurses and Health workers who are ready to work in the rural areas, the villagers cannot expect quality treatment to cure their ailments.”

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