Healthcare crisis: Many doctors pass time in Guwahati to serve private hospitals & clinics

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Many doctors posted in various medical colleges & hospitals across the State, spend most of their times in Guwahati on various pretexts allegedly to serve the private hospitals and clinics.

Such a situation has created a shortage of doctors in the medical colleges & hospitals situated outside Guwahati. The Tezpur Medical College & Hospital (TMCH), Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College & Hospital (FAAMCH), Barpeta and Jorhat Medical College & Hospital (JMCH) are worst hit due to such a situation since many doctors posted there reportedly spend more than half of every month in Guwahati to work in private hospitals and clinics. Some doctors posted at the Assam Medical College & Hospital (AMCH), Dibrugarh and Silchar Medical College & Hospital (SMCH) are also engaged in the same practice.

The Health & Family Welfare department recently issued an order allowing a professor of ENT department at the TMCH to work in Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) in addition to his own duties at Tezpur. Sources said that the particular senior ENT doctor is now practising in a leading private hospital in Guwahati.

"There were many similar examples in the past. Unless and until the Health department stops issuing frequent orders of allowing doctors to work in the GMCH in addition to their duties in other medical colleges, this trend will continue," alleged the source.

It has been also learnt that a section of other doctors posted in AMCH, JMCH, TMCH, SMCH and FAAMCH are citing health grounds and other personal reasons to stay in Guwahati.

On the other hand, the Health department in 2019 had sent lists of doctors to the principals of GMCH, AMCH, SMCH, JMCH, TMCH and FAAMCH for taking necessary and corrective measures against their long unauthorized absence from duties. But things did not move much in the last two years due to various factors including outbreak of COVID-19.

While the majority of such erring doctors are in the rank of registrars and assistant professors, some associate professors, professors and heads of departments at the medical colleges are also in the list of unauthorized absence.

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