Paediatrics, gynaecology departments running on less than 25 per cent of their sanctioned strengths

Even as PM Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the new 1,200-bed Women Children and Super-Specialty Hospital, built at a cost of Rs 1,450 crore, on Civil Hospital campus, the departments dealing with maternal and child care are currently running on fumes. So while a brand new building has been constructed for patients, the problems remain the same as were in the old Civil Hospital building.

Gujarat government struggles to address the two most important problems related to these sectors -- Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR). The two departments tasked with running the new facility are running on less than 25% of their sanctioned strength. The new Women Children and Super-Speciality Hospital will form part of the Medicity campus at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. It boasts of new facilities for Gynaecology and Paediatrics departments. However, officials are apprehensive about taking on the job without any doctors, and targets to reduce MMR, NMR and IMR to single digits by 2022.

Speaking at the inauguration, Deputy CM Nitin Patel who also holds the health portfolio, said, “We have given special emphasis on woman and child in this new hospital because we know that women face malnourishment and that is affecting the birth of our children.”

Gynaecology running on 22% Staff

While the Gynaecology Department needs 18 doctors to run six units or more than 200 beds, currently, it has only four doctors — a Professor, an Associate Professor and two Assistant Professors. It is just these doctors who have to facilitate an average of 7,500 deliveries per year apart from running the ICU and triage units. The other doctors are transferred to other short-staffed hospitals all over the state.

Dr AU Mehta, the HOD of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (which will now operate out of the new building) said, “We are four doctors here but are expecting more to be transferred back in a few months. However, we will get better facilities at the new building since it has been planned better.”

Paediatrics dept running on 25% Staff

The Maternal Mortality Rate in Gujarat is of much concern. The CAG reported that the MMR in Gujarat per 1,00,000 live births was 72 in 2013-14, 80 in 2014-15 and 85 in 2015-16. It also cited instances where women were transported to get a Cesarean section in a chhakda rickshaw. The findings are even worse if we look at NITI Aayog figures where the MMR in Gujarat is shown as 91for 2014-16.

On the other hand, the Paediatrics Department, which needs 16 doctors to run five units which also has additional beds with the total numbering 200, has just four doctors for 9,000 patients every year. Further, ever since HOD Dr KM Maheria retired in 2017, the new HOD, Dr Jolly Vaishnav, has been transferred four times in two years, leaving the department permanently in charge of another doctor. Dr Vaishnav refused to comment. Dr Bela Shah, the in-charge HOD of Paediatrics, was unreachable for comment. Gujarat ranks eighth out of 20 states in high Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) with 26 deaths per 1,000 live births; it ranks tenth in India in high Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) with 30 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to NITI Aayog.

Mirror had earlier reported that Gujarat is already struggling to save its children as the lack of doctors is affecting the functioning of Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) across the state. ‘Doctors not valued in Gujarat’ Dr Rajnish Patel, President of Gujarat Medical Teachers Association (GMTA) said, “Setting up hardware in the form of hospitals is not enough. If doctors, who are the software, are not available then how is the system going to function? Patients suffer because doctors from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital are transferred six months in a year for MCI inspections and so adequate treatment is not accorded to the patients.” Dr Patel was referring to the 180 doctors transferred from Ahmedabad to other Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) and Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) hospitals across the state in September last year and who are yet to be recalled to their posts in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, Health Minister Nitin Patel announced that the medical college in Nadiad had received MCI approval and would induct its first batch of medical students in the next academic year.

A senior Obstetrician in government service who wished to remain anonymous, questioned, “They may build new hospitals and swanky complexes but are they bringing in robots to treat the patients? Till they do not value doctors and medical teachers, the Maternal Mortality Rate cannot go down. What is the use of a super-speciality hospital that has no specialists?”

We have given special emphasis on woman and child in this new hospital because we know that women face malnourishment and that is affecting the birth of our childrenDy CM Nitin Patel

Speaking on repercussions of rampant transfers, another doctor said, “When more than 15-180 doctors are transferred each year to other hospitals because of MCI inspections, they cannot work on improving conditions at their own hospital.”

Speaking at the inauguration of the Hospital, PM Modi however put impetus on his re-election. He said, “My dream of having all medical health facilities under one roof has come true with Medicity. The work on transforming Ahmedabad Civil Hospital began when I was CM in 2008 and I am inaugurating it today. Work on other hospitals like the new UN Mehta cardiology and the kidney hospital is underway.

I will inaugurate them too when you re-elect me after 2019 election.” All praise for the PM, CM Vijay Rupani said, “PM Modi has done for healthcare what hasn’t been done in the past 51 years.”

Setting up hardware in the form of hospitals is not enough. If doctors, who are the software, are not available then how is the system going to function?Dr Rajnish Patel, President, GMTA