HYDERABAD:While NITI Aayog’s ‘Healthy States, Progressive India’ report observed that vacancy for specialist doctors (for ex, anesthetists, obstetrics and gynecologist) in Telangana district hospitals is 55 per cent, officials from the State Health department said that the percentage of vacancies will come down drastically if the latest statistics are considered as 2,105 doctors are being recruited.
All States and Union territories were graded in the NITI Aayog’s report, according to their performance in various health outcomes and service delivery indicators. Changes from base year to (2014-15) to reference year (2015-16) are measured. Telangana state was graded as achiever in overall performance category and ranked 12 in incremental performance. Officials said that when new health index reports will be released based on statistics from the year 2017-18, there will be leap in Telangana’s rankings.
Currently, there are six district hospitals in the State including the one at King Koti. The process to convert area hospitals into district hospitals is underway and 30 districts will get district hospitals. Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, Vakati Karuna said that now, district hospitals have doctors from seven to eight specialisations and after recruitment, each district hospital will have 15 specialisations doctors.
“Around 50 per cent of doctors will be recruited this month and the remaining will be recruited by March. Besides, examinations will be held to fill vacancies for nurses,” said Vakati Karuna.
The process of recruiting doctors has picked up pace after launch of KCR Kits in June-2017, where cash incentives and a bag containing of baby products are given to mothers who deliver child at government hospitals. Anticipating more patients will get admitted at government hospitals, the process of recruiting doctors too moved swiftly after the launch.
The NITI Aayog’s report also state that it takes average of 287 days to transfer Central National health Mission (NHM) funds from Telangana State treasury to implementing agency. Officials said this too has come down and there is marked change in time taken to transfer the funds.