26.04.2011 The health services in government hospitals across the state have been badly hit due to staff crunch due to the failure of the state health department to renew the annual agreement of 2,500 contractual doctors. The last agreement ended on March 31 this year.
The renewal of contracts was stalled across the state after the directorate of family welfare issued a circular on April 13, directing the chief medical officers (CMOs) not to renew the agreements till further orders. Hours after the TOI contacted the directorate officials on Monday afternoon for comments on the issue, there were reports that the department had started the process of renewing some contracts. By late evening it was confirmed that the renewal was limited to 50-odd allopathy doctors and that too only for next two months. There was, however, no word on the fate of the remaining 2450 doctors.
Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital is the worst affected. Against a sanctioned strength of 101 doctors, the hospital has 82 doctors on duty. Before the government's decision, it had 10 contractual doctors, including a neurosurgeon and a neurophysician.
Since these neuro doctors are not coming now, RML's trauma centre and neuro out patient department (OPD) have been shut. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is also on the verge of closure even as doctors struggle to keep the blood bank and pathology services running round the clock. "We have already informed the government about how all this is affecting us,'' chief medical superintendent, RML Hospital, Dr RS Dubey said.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil hospital too has been hit. The hospital has only 59 doctors working against a sanctioned strength of 74. Pathology laboratories and blood banks no longer offer 24-hour services. "We had four contractual doctors who were running these two units. Their absence is affecting work,'' chief medical superintendent Dr EU Siddiqui said.
Work at other hospitals is similarly affected. There are 23 contractual doctors working in Balrampur, Dufferin, Mahila Civil, Raj Narain and Rani Lakshmi Bai hospitals in Lucknow. Even the functioning of community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs) is suffering with contracts of ayush doctors and pharmacists also awaiting clearance.
"Vaccination and national programmes including polio are suffering because of this delay. With the impending epidemic season, the health scenario can worsen,'' Shailendra Yogi, president of the association representing contractual staff, said. "If this is the condition in Lucknow, things would be worse in other districts,'' he added.
Uttar Pradesh has nearly 2500 contractual doctors in allopathy and ayush streams. The department has also engaged an equal number of pharmacists for distribution of medicines. In view of the shortage, this number assumes significance. "Against a sanctioned strength of 13,793, about 8,500 doctors are working. But the real working strength is of some 7,000 doctors,'' said Dr DR Singh, president, Provincial Medical Services Association.
Director general, family welfare, Dr Ramji Lal said, "The salary of all contractual staff comes from the Union government funds provided under National Rural Health Mission. This year, the funds are yet to be sanctioned. We understand the crisis, but there is little we can do.''
Asked when the funds are likely to arrive, Dr Lal said it depends entirely on the Union health ministry.
For redressal of their concerns, the contractual doctors association had moved the court in the second week of April.
who is guilt ? the Govt. or Public?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Ayush Doctors in Allopathic Hospital
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare13-November, 2005 19:56 IST
| Allopathic Hospitals to have AYUSH wing PHCs AND CHCs TO HAVE AYUSH DOCTORS – DR. RAMADOSS |
| As part of the strategy to mainstream AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy Systems etc.) and reinforce healthcare delivery through Primary Health Network, the Government has decided to appoint AYUSH doctors in Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres. Initially, AYUSH doctors and medicines would be made available in single doctor Primary Health Centres and two doctor Community Health Centres in every District, to give AYUSH Health Care System, a boost. This was disclosed by the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, while addressing the International Ayurveda Congress, here today. Dr. Ramadoss said AYUSH is centric to the National Rural Health Mission launched recently. Its integration process in the States is encouraged by a Centrally-sponsored Scheme under which financial assistance will be provided for establishing outdoor and indoor facilities of AYUSH services in Allopathic Hospitals. The scheme will later be extended to District Hospitals to have AYUSH Wings and promote integrated health delivery system. He said this will be useful to the States where AYUSH facilities are either not available or negligible. The judicious integration of health facilities will lead to improvement in their health indices. Tamil Nadu and Kerala having such integrated health services, have proved the worth and usefulness of these, in improving health delivery, the Minister said. In its endeavour to expand the usage of indigenous health system, particularly in rural and backward areas, the Government has taken measures to mainstream and integrate AYUSH and provide choice and cross-referral facilities, to the public under one roof. Dr. Ramadoss regretted that credibility of our traditional systems are at stake for want of evidence of efficacy and safety as well as quality control of these medicines. A strategic road map is being prepared to ensure quality production of these medicines. In fact, the magnitude of drug induced health hazards can be considerably brought down, if the industry observes, strict quality control and maintains safety and efficacy of the products. Dr. Ramadoss pointed out that even in foreign countries like USA, Germany and European Nations, Ayurveda, Yoga etc. are becoming very popular. It is indicative of the strength of our traditional systems of medicine and we must make the best of it, he added. VKS/NSR (Release ID :13264) Dr.M.Danish Mahfooz |
Ayush Doctor
Ayush practitioners denied salaries
April 9: About 500 Ayurveda, Unani, Sidda, Homoe-opathy and Naturopathy (Ayush) contract medical staff appointed under National Rural Health Mission project (NRHM) in Warangal Zone are without salaries for over a year. Recruited in two phases in 2008 and 2009, Ayush association leaders said that due to inaction by the state de-partment of Ayush, families of medical officers, compounders and sweepers cum nursing orderlies (SNOs) are facing financial crisis.
Under Warangal zone, that includes Karimnagar, Adilabad, Khammam and Warangal, there are 22 Ayurvedic, 16 Homeopathy, 10 Unani and two Naturopathy three-member Ayush teams in each district. They do not have separate clinics but have been allotted space in select primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) in mandal headquarters. Presently, as per the existing funding pattern, 85 per cent financial burden is borne by the Centre while the rest 15 per cent is borne by the state government.
Though funds from the department of Ayush, Government of India, is said to be prompt, sources said that the problem is mainly due to diversion of funds by the state government to other areas like 108 and 104 services. “Forget our salaries, we do not even have medicines for distribution to patients for the last 14 months,” complained Dr R. Jagdishwar Prasad, Warangal unit president of National Medical Association (Ayurvedic). Incidentally, international homeopathy day (one of the Ayush medical systems) is celebrated on April 10 to mark the birth anniversary of its German founder, Samuel Frederick Hahnemann. Dr P. Johnson, state president of Ayush (NRHM), also alleged that the state health department is intentionally giving less salary to contract Ayush medical officers of the state even though their counterparts are paid well in other states under the same project.
“Ayush project is funded under the NRHM by the Centre in 18 states, but our salaries are less when you compare our basic monthly salary of `9,300 to `15-24,000 received by our co-unterparts in other states,” he said, adding that this was done with a view to keep the state's 15 per cent contribution to a minimum. When contacted, Mr L. Lingamurthy, regional deputy director (RDD), department of Ayush, Warangal zone, said that the salary issue is “under the purview of commissioner, state department of Ayush.”
“All the Ayush contract staff is expected to get their salary within a week,” he said, adding that at a meeting in March, all six Ayush RDDs of the state recommended the state health department to increase salaries of Ayush medical officers on par with their other state counterparts. While terming the decision to pay less salaries to Ayush staff in the state as a ‘policy decision’, he said that contracts of the employees would be further extended for a year after their present one year term gets over in July.
Dr.M.Danish Mahfooz
09891746194
Ayush doctors
Uttarakhand to set up 13 ayush grams
PTI | 01:04 PM,Apr 10,2011Dehradun, Apr 10 (PTI) Bhowali sanatorium in Nainital district, where Kamala Nehru was admitted during her last days, is all set to become the first Ayush Gram comprising a hospital, a wellness centre, a hotel and a herbal garden. Under a new project initiated by the Uttarakhand government, all the 13 districts of the state will have one ayush gram each.The government has provided a total of 10 acres of the sanatorium's land for the purpose of developing ayush gram, a dream project of Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.An Ayush gram comprises five features -- Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.Kolkata-based Emami group, which is enhancing its presence in the ayurvedic sector, has signed an MoU with the state government for setting up the ayush gram at Bhowali in Kumaon region under the PPP mode.The MoU came after the company won the contract for ayush gram through open bidding route.Emami, which has formed a consortium with a Rishikesh-based ashram and a hotel company, would develop the 358-bed sanatorium, established in 1912.The sanatorium is virtually lying closed as there is only one doctor.The herbal garden, which would be set up at 1200 sq metre area, will also have a specialised research centre to focus on the local herbs and medicinal plants.In the herbal garden, there will be a provision for training and skill development facilities for local people in order to create new employment and business opportunities.According to government sources, a minimum investment of Rs 50 crore is proposed in each ayush project with government already identifying land at Champawat and Pithoragarh districts.But in the rest of the 10 districts, the government has been unable to identify land for this purpose."We are trying our best to identify lands in the remaining districts," said a government official.During the past few months, the Chief Minister, who has been closely monitoring various developmental projects, has told the concerned officials to search for land on top priority basis.
Ayush in AIIMS Patna
AIIMS for quality healthcare
Hospital project put on fast track | |
| SUMI SUKANYA | |
Patna, April 20: Residents of the state have something to cheer about on the healthcare front. Construction work at the Jai Prakash Narayan All India Institute of Medical Sciences (JPNAIIMS) site has finally taken off after a protracted delay.
Sources said the rather long wait in the commencement of the construction work was occasioned by a power shift at the Centre. The foundation stone for the Rs 350-crore project (estimated cost at that time) was laid in 2004, when the NDA government was in power.
In 2005, the Congress-led UPA replaced the BJP-led coalition at the Centre and the project was put on the backburner, said the source.
However, a source in the Union health and welfare ministry said the health hub, which is coming up at Walmi village near Phulwarisharif, 20km from Patna, is expected to be start functioning by the end of 2012.
Officials associated with the Bihar project claim it is in the “most advanced” stage among the six states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, where similar projects are planned.
The cost of the project has, however, gone up because of the delay.
“The cost has already escalated from Rs 350 crore to Rs 800 crore as a result of the delay. While Rs 500 crore will be spent on construction, Rs 300 crore will be spent on setting up the hospital, purchasing equipment, acquiring resources and logistics,” a senior officer associated with the project told The Telegraph.
“About 1,500 construction workers are, at present, involved in the project and are working 24x7 in three shifts. The construction area is split in two parts. While one part will have facilities like the hospital, medical and nursing colleges and hostels, spread across 67 acres, the other part, situated about 1km from the main centre, will have housing complexes for doctors and employees. It will be spread over 33 acres. The tallest building, all of eight storeys, will be one of the hostels,” the officer added.
He also said, “The project has been awarded to two contractors — Nagarjuna Construction Company and BL Kashyap & Sons. The former is responsible for constructing the medical college, the nursing school and the hostels. It started work in June 2010 and has already completed over 35 per cent of the work. It should complete the construction work by March next year.”
“The other company involved in the construction began work in September last year. It will finish its work by the end of next year,” added the officer. The superspeciality hospital, which will be centrally air-conditioned, will have 960 beds for patients.
“The hospital will also have an Ayush unit, where patients will be treated with the help of indigenous medicines. The hospital will have 27 operation theatres. In the beginning, 100 students will be enrolled in MBBS courses, entrance for which will be conducted by AIIMS society,” the officer said.
He added that the construction work was put on fast track after Patna High Court started monitoring the project following a public interest litigation filed be members of the civil society.
The officials deployed at the project site, however, could not confirm whether the medical college would be in a position to enrol for the medical and nursing colleges from the next academic session.
“That depends on a number of factors and the Medical Council of India report after which the Union health ministry will take a final decision,” the officer said.
He also said once ready, the Patna project will not only cater to the healthcare needs of Bihar residents but also of people from Nepal, Bengal and other eastern states, where there is a lack of quality healthcare services.
thanks . Dr. M.Danish Mahfooz
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