Lack of radiologists leaves patients fuming in Doon

DEHRADUN: Patients in different parts of city are upset over government’s lackadaisical approach in deployment of ‘radiologists’ in Coronation Hospital which is forcing them to take up medical services from private hospitals.

Currently, neither Coronation Hospital nor the nearby community health centres (Vikasnagar CHC, Raipur CHC and Sahaspur CHC) has any radiologist.

The radiologist in Coronation Hospital is not present in the hospital since June when the existing one was transferred while other CHCs continue to be without radiologist over years. They would, however, get radiologist only for selected days in a week.

The situation has crippled the overall facilities in the hospital, especially which saw at least 50 ultrasound per day is now lying closed.

The existing radiologist of the hospital was transferred in June and department didn’t provide any replacement.

The situation in the hospital is only deteriorating. Chief medical superintendent of Coronation Hospital, LC Punetha said, “We have informed the health department about the problems being faced by patients on several occasions. We were also told that we will be getting a radiologist soon. Doctors are unable to diagnose the patients without ultrasound reports, especially in cases of expectant mothers and medico-legal cases, which are now being referred to other centres.”

Coronation Hospital is responsible for all the medico-legal cases that come under Dalanwala, Raipur and Nehru colony police station which are now being referred to Doon Medical College Hospital.
Due to lack of enough facilities in the hospital, locals are now forced to shell out more money in private clinics and hospitals.

Uttarakhand, overall, is suffering from severe crunch of radiologist. “As against sanctioned 135 radiologists, the state has just 33 (24.4%) radiologists while 102 posts are still lying vacant. We are trying to deploy radiologists in those hospitals where the patient rush is maximum while in other places we will connect through telemedicine," said a senior official from administration wing from health and family department on the condition of anonymity.