Maharashtra health services departments red flag vacant posts, delays in grants

Oct 31,2023

Mumbai: Two Maharashtra departments that provide health services have substantial vacancies according to replies filed by it before the Bombay high courtin a suo moto public interest litigation following higher than usual deaths reported in two government hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar earlier this month.

The two departments are the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD) which oversees medical colleges plus tertiary care hospitals and the Public Health Department (PHD) which runs secondary and primary level hospitals.

MEDD has 42 per cent vacancies as against 36145 sanctioned posts, while PHD has 35 per cent vacancies as against 57714 sanctioned posts.

On October 4, the court took suo motu cognisance of the deaths that included a “large number of infants” between September 30 and October 3.

Some 31 patients had died at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded and 18 in Government Medical College and Hospital in Sambhajinagar.

The HC had sought details including on sanctioned posts and vacant positions in medical, para-medical and non-medical posts.

The HC had also sought information regarding procurement of medicines and medical equipment.

PHD said nearly Rs 8,675 crore has been budgeted for 2023-24 for procurement of medicines and equipment.

The affidavits disclosed that in case of Nanded and Sambhajinagar hospitals, though a higher amount was sanctioned for 2022-23 for purchase of medical equipment, kits and reagents, medical surgical equipment, a much lesser sum was received by both hospitals.

Source: HealthWorld