A large number of vacant posts of doctors at health centres has impacted medical services in Odisha's Ganjam district. While the sanctioned strength of doctors in the district is 399, at least 275 of the posts are lying vacant.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Saroj Kumar Mishra "We have apprised the state government about the shortage of doctors. Forty doctors have recently been engaged on contractual basis in the district."
The district has 580 different health centres, including 460 sub-centres, 89 single-doctor public health centres (PHCs) and new PHCs, 30 community health centres (CHCs) and a district headquarter hospital here.
According to government norms, at least 6 doctors, including 4 specialists, should be posted in each CHC.
While several hospitals, including the ones at Digapahandi, Patrapur and Kodala are running with single doctors, 34 new PHCs are functioning without any doctor. The CHC at Balisira is functioning with a contractual doctor. While the government had appointed 22 MBBS doctors in August in the district, only four of them have joined so far.
