The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Shortage of doctors hampers services in ESI hospital

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Sunday, Apr 13, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Shortage of doctors hampers services in ESI hospital

S. Prasad

Hosur: The ESI hospital in Hosur has the latest of facilities. But the shortage of doctors prevailing there has largely hampered its services resulting in many using the hospital mainly to get leave and other benefits provided through the ESI scheme.

This 50-bedded hospital caters to the families of nearly 25,000 to 30,000 employees falling under the ESI net in Hosur. But the hospital does not have on its rolls an anaesthetist, dermatologist and ENT specialist resulting in most of the cases being referred to the Hosur Government Hospital where a similar problem persists.

With Hosur being an industrial area the services of an anaesthetist is a dire necessity taking into account the numerous industrial accidents. Presently, a general surgeon in the hospital is taking care of such cases.

“The absence of specialist doctors has resulted in the hospital being unable to help family members of industrial workers who are also covered under the ESI net,” according to a senior doctor. Presently, the hospital merely has seven doctors including a medical superintendent, an orthopaedician, a dentist, general physician and paediatrician.

But owing to night duty and other regular leaves only three or four doctors are available in daytime to attend to the patients.

However, the facilities that the hospital possesses like scanner, x-ray, cardiac monitor, auto analyser and operation theatre are said to be latest. Even the medicines available are said to be more than adequate especially vaccines for rabies and hepatitis B which are procured from the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation.

But according to industrialists here, in spite of prompt contributions being made to ESI, the lack of services usually resulted in the employees turning back to the management for treatment costs. In case of accidents within the factory, the lack of doctors usually resulted in them being taken to hospitals in Bangalore for treatment. They also note that repeated representations in this regard both to the ESI Corporation and the State Government have failed to evoke any response.

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