From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 8: With doctors going on strike all over the country, Rajya Sabha member from Meghalaya, WR Kharlukhi on Wednesday flagged the grim healthcare system in the hill state which is already reeling under serious shortage of physicians while battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Raising the matter in the Upper House, Kharlukhi said the state is going through a shortage of doctors in almost every field. More than a thousand of these personnel have lost their lives while fighting against the pandemic, he said.
Kharlukhi also suggested that the Centre should go ahead with the NEET post graduate and under graduate counselling without further delay.
“At a time of a pandemic, can we really afford to have shortage of anything, especially in manpower to handle any situation that may arise?” the MP questioned.
(Contd on P-4)
Shortage of doctors leading to crisis…
(Contd from P-1) “It is thoroughly heart-wrenching to watch that the same corona warriors, who had worked tirelessly during the pandemic under the banner of the Medical Association, had to go on strike,” the state president of the NPP said. The remaining doctors are doing more than eighty hours of duty, he added.
Meghalaya is facing a shortage of more than 100 doctors as per the present vacant posts. The Health department could not even get 50 doctors to appoint on a contractual basis for tackling the COVID-19 situation, during the peak pandemic period.
There are over 800 doctors in different government hospitals, community health centres and public health centres across the state. The shortage is mainly since many doctors are refusing to work in state government hospitals after completing their medical education and even returned the “bond” amount they signed with the state.