The Hindu : New Delhi News : AIIMS trauma centre faces manpower shortage

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Thursday, May 01, 2008
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New Delhi

AIIMS trauma centre faces manpower shortage

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI: The country’s “showpiece” Jayaprakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre at All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here has battled and sorted out a reported shortage of essential goods including cotton and gloves recently, but it continues to be under-utilised because of inadequate manpower.

“There is a shortage of doctors, nurses and technicians and we are waiting for these posts to be filled up so that we can optimise the facilities being offered to trauma victims. At present we have a shortfall of 30 per cent of the total strength of the nursing staff and there is a crunch of senior resident doctors. We also do not have enough technicians. What we are demanding is sanctioning of the staff strength that is approved for the centre,” said the AIIMS Trauma Centre Medical Superintendent, Dr. M. C. Misra.

The seven-storey trauma centre has over 190 beds and takes in a load of 125 to 150 patients in 24 hours. “It has five functional operation theatres, of which only three are functioning now because of the staff shortage,” said a senior physician here.

Refuting the claim of non-functioning operation theatres, Dr. Misra said: “So far there are no problems at the operation theatres. Three of these have been pressed into service and two are on stand-by. As for the alleged shortage of goods, we have not faced any scarcity so far. Of course, patients who are not under critical care and who can afford can be asked to get certain material. For the poor and critically injured, treatment is free.”

“In a country where quality medical care for the poor and trauma care is still a distant dream, the centre is a boon for the common man. It is then sad that the centre is not able to function to its maximum utility because of the shortage of trained medical staff. Earlier there was a shortage of essential medical goods which has now been sorted out. Policy makers and the Government have to understand that this is a centre where an unknown, critically ill trauma victim is treated free of cost. To maintain the quality and make full use of the resources available the Government should fill up the vacant posts,” said a senior physicians working at the centre. Giving an example of the load that physicians face each day, a doctor said: “After the routine duty hours the centre has to function with one anaesthetist and one radiographer which is difficult to sustain. There is also no proper utilisation of the money allotted to the centre.”

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