State GMCs face staff crunch, drug shortage

Staff Reporter

Whatever hype is being made out of the incident at Nanded Government Medical College, one has to have a look at the problems being faced by Government Medical Colleges and Hospital (GMCHs) across Maharashtra. Several issues such as staff crunch, shortage of drugs, unrepaired equipment, and lack of infrastructure are haunting all the GMCs over years. All medical colleges work under three bodies -- National Medical Commission (erstwhile Medical Council of India), Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS). There is lack of coordination among these bodies because of which, for last several years, the GMCs are working with inadequate staff. The process of filling of posts remains a neglected part. The earstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) (now National Medical Commission) used to cancel the number of seats not fulfilling the criteria. After State Government’s affidavit, the MCI restored the seats.

Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) got 15 renewals where it could get back its 40 seats. It shows the apathy of State Government towards its own hospitals. GMCs have to work on two fronts -- imparting education and rendering healthcare services. If the workload of both responsibilities taken into account, the staff is inadequate. The apex body like National Medical Commission (NMC) points at inadequate staff, but GMCs have to get the approval for filling posts from DMER. The process of filling of posts being handled sometimes by DMER, sometimes by Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). This mismanagement leads to not filling of posts. To add to the woes of these colleges, now Government is starting GMCs in every district without planning the staff. Without proper staff GMCs find difficult to render proper healthcare services. The main job in healthcare lies on nurses’ shoulders. Unfortunately the ratio of nurses to patients is very low. For example, every single bed in any Intensive Care Unit (ICU) needs one nurse. Unfortunately, in most GMCs, one nurse has to manage all patients in one ICU. In general ward there should be one nurse after every three beds which also most GMCs fail to follow.

The equipment never reach GMCs in time when they require because of which, the doctors have to request patients either to wait or get it done from some private set-up. In past some years, GMCs are struggling to get medicines thanks to Government which brought Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Private Limited to do the purchases of medicines and equipment. The system is so faulty that once GMCs face such a bad condition where they face shortage of even a common drug like crocin. Before demiting office earlier Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan unnecessarily trasfered hundreds of doctors by which the medical fraternity got demoralised. Many refused to join duties at new places, some approached court. He removed Dr Dilip Mhaisekar from the post of Director and brought Dr Ajay Chandanwale. By the time Dr Chandanwale gets settled, the new minister of medical education reinstated Dr Mhaisekar in place of Dr Chandanwale. Such moves disappoint the community. Nanded incident has one positive angle also. It has made Government to come out of deep slumber. People and doctors both are hopeful of structural improvement. If it comes then poor and needy will get quality treatment in GMCs.