Prayagraj: According to a recent status review, there is a severe medical staffing shortage at seven main government hospitals in Sangam City. Of the 356 sanctioned posts, 90 positions—or 25% of the total—are currently vacant.

This scarcity is especially concerning because the Mela area would need to construct temporary hospitals in preparation for the upcoming Mahakumbh 2025. District officials expressed alarm about this issue, citing the urgent need to address it, as the main city hospitals are supposed to serve as primary referral centers and are badly affected.

If hospital officials are to be believed, all other government hospitals are running with fewer doctors than sanctioned, with the exception of the city's TB hospital, which has eight doctors on service.

In the Moti Lal Nehru (Colvin) Divisional Hospital alone, which has 36 authorized postings for doctors, 18 of these positions—including four for medical emergency officers—are vacant, resulting in more than 50% of the total number of vacancies.

Similarly, more than 15% of the positions at the busy MLN Medical College SRN Hospital are vacant. Of the 181 authorized positions, about 20 remain vacant.

In addition, there are 10 open positions at Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital, out of the approved strength of 41 doctors.

Only 29 doctors are working at Dufferin Hospital, despite the hospital having 40 positions for doctors. Out of the 40 open positions, 12 doctor posts at Government Unani Hospital remain vacant.

The majority of these hospitals' officials assert that the process of getting the doctors is well underway.

The SRN Hospital is run by Motilal Nehru Medical College, and even Dr. Vatsala Mishra, the acting principal, stated that appointments are being made for open medical positions. Upon transfer, some doctors will also come.

Dr. MM Tripathi, the acting Chief Superintendent of Colvin Hospital, stated that a letter to the state government for the filling of the medical positions has been sent. The same is said by Beli Hospital officials as well.

In addition to the Central Jail, Police Hospital, and High Court Dispensary which are run by the CMO's office, 278 positions for doctors and medical officers have been sanctioned in the district's community and primary health centers.

Of these, there are 57 Vacancies for doctors. A request for open positions has been forwarded to the government. Additionally, community health centers have sanctioned 75 staff nursing positions, of which 35 are now vacant.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/MSM)