76% posts of radiographers vacant at Karnal government hospitals

Tribune News Service

Karnal, May 22

Government hospitals in the district are facing a shortage of radiographers. According to the data available, 76 per cents posts of radiographers are vacant.

Of the 17 sanctioned posts of radiographers, 13 are yet to be filled.

Almost all the rural community health centres are without radiographers, presenting the picture of the health facilities being provided by the state government.

In such a situation, patients are left with no other option, but to avail facilities of X-ray, CT scan and other services from private hospitals at exorbitant rates.

The district civil hospital has six sanctioned posts of radiographers, of which four have been vacant for the past several months.

The Civil Hospital has to provide round the clock services, but due to the lack of radiographers, patients have to either wait for their turn or get those services done from private institutions.

Besides, one sanctioned post in each Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kunjpura, Nissing, Sambhli, Ballah, Nigdhu, Gharaunda, Taraori, Indri, and government hospital in Nilokheri, only the government hospital in Nilokheri and Gharaunda have radiographers.

The two sanctioned posts at the government hospital at Assandh are vacant.

In the absence of radiographer in rural areas, people have to come to Civil Hospital for medico-legal X-ray service, said an official.

“We have to send the cases with injuries in thrashing and clash to district headquarters, as we do not have a radiographer to perform X-ray,” said a doctor of the rural CHC.

Shamsher Singh Gogi, Congress MLA from Assandh, said he had raised the issue of shortage of doctors at Assandh hospital in the Assembly before the Health Minister, but to no avail so far.

Dr Yogesh Sharma, Civil Surgeon, said they had sent the demand to the higher authorities to fill the vacant posts regularly.

“Services are being extended to the general public with the existing staff. We are hopeful that the number of radiographers will be raised in a few days,” he said.