MADURAI: As many as 527 positions, including that of 152 nursing assistants, 165 health workers and 93 hospital workers, remain vacant at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai, revealed the data derived through a series of Right to Information (RTI) queries filed by social activists.
According to the RTI reply, while around 200 nursing assistants (male and female) were sanctioned on a regular time scale on contract basis at the GRH, 152 vacancies are yet to be filled. While the recruitment of 227 hospital workers and 175 sanitary workers were sanctioned, 93 and 165 vacancies continue to remain under the hospital worker and sanitary worker categories, respectively.
Speaking to TNIE, RTI activist Veronica Mary said that the vacancies create a burden for the existing workforce, and added, "Thousands of patients are referred to the GRH, which is one of biggest medical facility in southern Tamil Nadu, for treatment. Doctors, nurses and nursing assistants form the backbone of the medical service here, and similar vacancies could create a huge burden for them."
She further said that if the vacancies are filled, then as per shift allocation (excluding weekly leaves), there will be around nursing assistants and nurses on duty, who will be tasked to handle over 4,300 beds in GRH. However, according to the Medical council of India (MCI), there should be a staff allocation of one nurse for two beds for ICUs, and one nurse for eight beds for normal wards.
"The vacancies should be filled as early as possible since poor patients cannot be left to suffer. A majority of them have no other option, other than the GRH for seeking treatment," she added.
When contacted, GRH Dean Dr C Dharmaraj said, "We are aware of the vacancies at our medical facilities and have informed our higher authorities in Chennai, who are the decision makers. They are in touch with the contract companies that supply manpower, and the issue will be resolved at the earliest."
He added that the radiology, cardiology and cardiothoracic departments are already functional at the facility in JICA (Tower Block), while the operation theatres are yet to be opened for the public, as electrical and technical works are pending.