Mumbai News: Empty Posts Cripple State Health System

Mumbai: The shortage of specialist doctors has hit health services at the state-run hospitals as many doctors prefer joining private hospitals over government-run hospitals due to lack of development. Over 60% of posts in the state-run hospitals are vacant forcing patients to rely on expensive private players.

Moreover, it is hard to find MBBS doctors as they take up better paying offers from private partners.

According to data from the Maharashtra Public Health Department, 61% of Class-1 specialists posts were vacant as of June 1. In some posts such as dentists, super-speciality doctors and higher-grade specialists, all remain vacant.

A senior health official on the condition of anonymity confirmed that there is a huge shortage of specialists as posts are not being filled by the government due to several reasons.

Shortage of doctors at Government hospitals: Official

“Many advertisements and notices have been sent out in newspapers for interviews but still no one came forward. However, we have still not understood what are the reasons doctors do not want to work at government hospitals. We have assumed that higher payscale in the private sectors could be one of the reasons,” he said.

According to the senior health official, major hurdles at the government hospitals are political interference, unnecessary workload, lack of proper health facilities and fear of public wrath if something goes wrong.

“The work culture at government hospitals is unacceptable as doctors are being asked to do clerical and documentation work instead of focusing on patients and their research work. Most of the doctors feel their skills are wasted at these hospitals and prefer working at private hospitals. Moreover, they also take their patients to private sectors if they can afford treatment,” he said.

Health experts have criticised the government for the failure of healthcare systems. Neither they have learnt from Covid which had taken more than lakhs lives across the state. Recently, nearly 80 people, including infants, died in the government hospitals of Nanded, Sambhajinagar and Nagpur due to lack of resources, staff and medicines.

Maharashtra healthcare system is collapsing daily: Official

“The current government does not bother about the Maharashtra healthcare system which is being collapsed daily. A budget of about ₹700-₹800 crore is given every year for health but not even ₹100 crore is spent. The hospitals in rural parts of Maharashtra do not have a proper health system leading to patients travelling more than 100km to other hospitals for treatment,” he said.

The official further added that the government is looking after privatisation which should be done for betterment of common people.

Major hurdles

Political interference, unnecessary workload, lack of proper health facilities and fear of public wrath if something goes wrong

Uncanny work culture

Doctors are being asked to do clerical and documentation work instead of focusing on patients and their research work

Low wages

Higher payscale in the private sectors could be one of the reasons for doctors prefer private sector

Unspent budget

A budget of about Rs700-800 cr is earmarked for health, but not even Rs100 cr is spent