Palwal Civil Hospital grapples with staff shortage, non-functional fire safety system

The Civil Hospital at the district headquarters, recently upgraded to a 200-bed facility, is grappling with serious infrastructure and staff shortages. Among the key concerns is the non-functional fire safety system, a glaring deficiency highlighted during a surprise inspection by the district authorities on Monday. These issues are expected to be escalated to higher authorities for prompt resolution.

According to sources, the hospital is short of both medical staff and essential facilities, including X-ray and radiology services. Of the required 55 doctors, only 39 positions are currently filled. Alarmingly, there is no physician with an MD in Medicine, leaving patients in the OPD to be attended by MBBS doctors specialising in chest or TB diseases.

Of the 601 sanctioned posts at the hospital, only 377 are occupied, creating significant challenges in delivering healthcare services across the hospital and its affiliated health centres. Vacancies include 25 of the 126 sanctioned posts for Medical Officer (MO) and six of the 11 sanctioned posts for Senior Medical Officer (SMO). At present, the hospital has just six SMOs and 121 MOs.

“Many patients have no choice but to seek care at private hospitals or clinics, as key posts such as radiologist and psychiatrist have been vacant for years,” said an employee.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar Vashishta, who led the inspection, expressed shock at discovering that the hospital’s fire safety system, installed years ago, was non-operational. Highlighting the recent fire incident at a hospital in Jhansi, he emphasised that such lapses pose a serious threat to lives.

During his detailed visit to the ICU, OPD, blood bank, CT scan room, physiotherapy centre, operation theatre, maternity ward and pharmacy, Dr Vashishta noted deficiencies in facilities and cleanliness. He instructed the Civil Surgeon’s office to ensure improvements across various departments. He also directed the immediate restoration of the fire safety system and mandated training for staff to handle emergency equipment effectively.

Dr Vashishta assured that the identified deficiencies would be addressed on priority to ensure the hospital meets healthcare and infrastructure standards, providing quality services to patients.