No Provision For Specialist Doc Even In Recently Sanctioned 260 Posts

Pune: Despite the fact that providing mother and child care tops the priority list of services of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the civic body has no permanent post for a gynaecologist at its hospitals, most of which are basically maternity homes.

Even among the 260 recently sanctioned posts, interviews for which are on cards next month, a post for a specialist doctor in gynaecology is missing.

"We had proposed 15 posts of gynaecologists for approval to the urban development department. But sadly not a single post was sanctioned. We are pursuing the matter with the department. This does not mean that we don’t have skilled gynaecology staff, we have MBBS doctors who have received specialised training in gynaecology and obstetrics," said S T Pardeshi, medical officer of health at PMC.

There are in all 17 PMC–run hospitals in Pune. Barring Naidu Hospital, all other hospitals are basically maternity hospitals. Some hospitals have honorary gynaecologists, who are called to the hospital when needed.

Kamla Nehru Hospital has around five such honorary gynaecologists. But all these doctors have their own hospitals and are primarily occupied with their own work. Hence when an emergency takes place, there is no gynaecologist available at PMC–run hospitals.

As a result, most PMC–run hospitals divert women patients with high–risk pregnancies who need surgical intervention to the Sassoon General Hospital and Kamla Nehru Hospital at the time of delivery.

Services of specialist doctors in gynaecology are vital, given that over 1,000 babies in the city are stillborn every year. Experts say that lack of antenatal or pre–delivery care and low patient registration are the primary reason for stillbirths, the figure for which has been above the 1,000 mark for the last five years.

Three months ago, a doctor from Kamla Nehru Hospital wrongly calculated a full–term woman’s delivery time and asked her to go back home. Late in the night, the woman, who was still in labour, was rushed back to the hospital and delivered a stillborn baby at the hospital entrance. The unfortunate incident had brought to light the various lacunae at civic hospitals.

"We understand the gravity of the issue. That’s why we had proposed 15 posts of gynaecologists," Pardeshi said.

The PMC had proposed 316 posts for approval of the urban development department in 2008. The department sanctioned 260 posts in 2012. Among the posts which were turned down, 10 were for physicians, 15 for gynaecologists, two for chest physicians, five for paediatric surgeons, four for ECG technicians, 10 for X–ray technicians and five for physiotherapists.

"We have received 4,000 applications so far for the 260 posts, which include paeditricians (10), surgeons (10), pathologists (5), radiologists (5), medical officers (100), junior nurses (100), pharmacists (10) and ‘Aayas’ (20). The scrutiny of applications is currently on and interviews will be conducted next month," Pardeshi said.

Personnel recruited against the 260 posts will primarily be working at PMC’s four major hospitals – Kamla Nehru Hospital, Rajeev Gandhi Hospital, Sonawane Hospital and Naidu Hospital.

Currently, PMC has one paediatrician, one pathologist, one radiologist, 118 medical officers, 99 junior nurses and 76 pharmacists.

"We have taken up the recruitment work on war footing. The aim is to bring in specialised services to improve patient care," Pardeshi said.

Specialist doctors like paediatricians, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists will be receiving an accumulated salary in the range of Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000. Medical officers will get a salary in the range of Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000. Junior nurse will get between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000, pharmacists between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 and ‘Aayas’ will get Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.