ROURKELA: Although the RSP-run Ispat General Hospital (IGH) of SAIL is graduating into a Super Speciality Hospital (SSH), there seems to be no immediate relief for patients amid a “drought” of doctors.
According to sources, Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh had assured appointment of contractual doctors at IGH which so far has got a paltry 17 ad hoc doctors along with five others likely to join soon.
“The present strength of regular doctors at IGH has now been reduced to 84 and by June 2020, In-Charge Director Dr S Pati, Director (Medical) Dr R Behera and Burns specialist Dr Sahu would superannuate. Crisis of experienced and quality doctors has led to further problem for IGH with available junior doctors failing to instil confidence in patients,” said sources.
The 685-bedded IGH with sound medical infrastructure and equipment requires at least 50 more doctors but SAIL’s lackadaisical approach has put the proposal on hold for three years now. A few months ago, the IGH authorities had asked for immediate regular appointment of 15 doctors and 30 para-medics but to little avail.
While the retirement age of Central Government doctors has been raised to 65 years, it is due in central PSUs leading to greater demand by RSP to help retain experienced doctors at IGH.
After the inauguration of the upgradation project in June last year, work has been underway to equip the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery with super specialist facilities. As per the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the 156-bedded Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) Block will also include departments of Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Neurosurgery, Neurology and Nephrology. But there is no immediate plan for medical college. On completion of the project, IGH would be rechristened as Ispat Post-Graduate Institute & Super Specialist Hospital (IPGISSH) as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015.
RSP Executives’ Association president and Steel Executives’ Federation of India general secretary Bimal Bisi said IGH was one of the finest hospitals in eastern India but health services are going down abysmally.