Rural hospitals in J&K face manpower shortage: RHS report

Srinagar, July 20: The rural hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir are facing shortage of manpower, especially of specialist doctors and paramedical staff, the Rural Health Statistics (RHS) report 2021-22 of the Union Health Ministry has revealed.
As per the yearly report, 620 posts of doctors at primary health centres (PHCs) across rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir are vacant. The dearth of doctors is affecting healthcare services and continues to put an extra burden on tertiary care hospitals.
The report said that at Community Health Centres (CHCs) across JK, 28 posts of surgeons, 24 posts of physicians, 25 posts of physicians and 101 posts of specialist doctors, 210 posts of eye surgeons and 21 posts of anesthetists are also lying vacant.
The pediatric services also remain affected as 25 posts of pediatricians are also vacant at the CHCs in rural areas which compelling people to visit district and tertiary care hospitals.
The maternity services also remain affected due to shortage of doctors. As on March 31 2022, 24 posts of obstetricians and gynaecologists are vacant at CHCs in rural areas.
The lack of healthcare facilities in rural areas is evident by the fact that patients across places are compelled to move to district or sub-district hospitals for treatment of minor ailments.
The RHS report, which provides data on health infrastructure including manpower, said 99 posts of general duty medical officers (GDMOS) (allopathic) are also lying vacant at CHCs. Similarly, 30 posts of radiographers are vacant in CHCs in rural areas.
The report also said there are 148 vacant posts of pharmacists in PHCs and 32 posts of pharmacists at CHCs are also lying vacant in the rural areas in JK.
Jammu and Kashmir is also in a shortfall of 498 lab technicians in PHCs and 26 similar posts are also lying vacant in CHCs of rural areas.
The publication is based on data provided by the States/UTs. The data has been analyzed and cross-checked for consistency and also validated with the data available from other sources.
The report also notes that the PHCs in rural hospitals in J&K have 135 posts of staff nurses vacant and 158 posts of nursing staff are also vacant in the CHCs in rural areas.
The sub centres in the rural areas are also grappling with manpower shortage and these posts have not been filled over the years adding to woes of patients.
As per the survey in J&K, 402 posts of health workers (female)/ANM are vacant at sub centres in rural areas. Similarly, there is a shortfall of 1479 male health workers at sub centres.
It said that 74 posts of female health workers are also lying at PHCs. The PHCs in rural areas also have a shortfall of 1678 health workers. There 34 posts of health assistants at PHCs in rural areas are also vacant.
As per the figures 217 posts of health workers (males) are vacant at Sub Centres in Rural Areas. Also, 72 posts of health workers (females) are also vacant in the PHCs in rural areas.
Positively, zero posts of Ayush doctors at PHCs and zero posts of Ayush specialists at CHCs are vacant in rural areas.
The Statistics Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been bringing the RHS out every year and covers approximately 2 lakh public health facilities serving the whole population of the country.
The RHS 2021-22 is a vital source of information on rural health infrastructure and human resources available in the public health institutions of all States and union territories.
It also facilitates the identification of the need for additional resources for better management of the public health delivery system.
The rural health data is extensively used for decision-making and policy intervention by government policy planners, researchers, NGOs, and other stakeholders.