On 2nd August, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealed that there are severe staff shortages in the Primary and Secondary healthcare centers where there are 60 percent vacancies for doctors and 21 percent for healthcare staff respectively.
According to the report, the state's doctor-to-patient ratio is one doctor for every 881 patients. This ratio is significantly below the national average of one doctor for every 834 patients.
The former BRS administration notified the CAG in August 2003 about an initiative to fill more than 12,000 positions in the health sector. However, they have not provided any specifics since June 2022.
During the previous BRS administration, the report found that under the Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP), there were over 60 percent vacancies for doctors, 46 percent for para-medical staff,56 percent for auxiliary nurses and midwives, 21 percent for nursing staff, and 25 percent for the other staffs in primary and secondary healthcare centers.
Although the director of public health had better staffing levels, there was a severe shortage in the staffing of community health officers, pharmacists, and para-medical staff. Significant shortages were also faced by the health institutions under the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare. The following were the percentages of shortages: 32 percent for doctors, 36 percent for auxiliary nurses, midwives, and nursing orderlies, and 29 percent for para-medical and other staff.
The previous BRS administration was criticized by the CAG for lacking a human resources policy aligned with the National Health Policy of 2017.
The CAG was unable to access state-level policies outlining short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals for human resources in the health sector. Furthermore, the director of medical education only supplied consolidated manpower data, lacking details on sanctioned strength, current personnel, and patient load,
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Gayatri Prakasan/MSM)
