Dear Editor,
Health care system in Arunachal Pradesh is amputated from a catastrophic case of basking in the glory of the medieval age. While other parts of the country are conducting complex lifesaving surgeries and procedure, it is amusing how Arunachal Pradesh is still struggling to conduct relatively simpler surgeries such as appendicectomy, herniotomy etc. Whose fault is it? An enormous question is to be posed by the public on the Government of AP.
We can’t relegate the question to the inefficiency of doctors, when the state itself hasn’t been smart and brave enough to pave the ways to develop infrastructure for better medical prerequisites. The government has successfully set up 15 District hospitals, 54 community health centres, 128 primary health centres. But, many of these setups are only partially functional without doctors and suitable staff members. These District hospitals and community health centres are deprived of amenities such as blood bank, functioning operation theatre and radiological equipment too. The public health sector needs an urgent remedy.
The governmental norms suggest that a community health centre should atleast have the following specialist doctors working – medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and anaesthesia. CHCs should also have a working OT with basic radiological equipment. But, the community health centres are run single-handedly by Medical officers – allopathy/homeopathy/Ayurveda without the basic equipment and facilities. In adversities such as this, how can one expect the doctors to perform in their optimum? Hence, all the cases that could have been easily managed within the periphery of the state are being referred to elsewhere.
In such working scenario, a doctor’s professional life is blighted by the lack of developmental opportunity professional. Notwithstanding horrendous conditions of hospitals, the doctors in Arunachal Pradesh are still willing to work in rural. But, in a future not so distant, doctors will be impelled to choose private practices over rural posting because of professional dichotomy of what is promised on paper and what ends up on the field of duty.
Recently 82 junior specialist doctors and 100 general duty medical officers were enlisted for duty, but they are yet to be appointed and posted. It may also be highlighted that the delay has been over 4 months from the declaration of results. In the wake of dire need for doctors to serve in the state, we are still faced with inadequacy in the health services. Why is there so much delay in their appointment?
At this rate, public health sector in the state is only hammering onto a dead end. And while people are flocking CHCs for the hope of medical services, it is often the recurrent picture of them returning dejected and unserved that shatters my heart. A shared value of empathy would let one feel the pain when you see an ill baby crying in the arms of a hopeless mother outside an empty community health centre.
I would like to suggest a few points of value for the State government to consider:
1. Increase the health annual budget.
2. Provide better and basic facilities in all the district hospital at least.
3. Appoint more doctors.
4. The general public and the union bodies should be more aware and have to stand up for this issue.
Yours,
Employed yet
Jobless Doctor