7 posts of doctors vacant in Keylong hospital

Tribune News Service

Dipender Manta

Mandi, June 24

The District Hospital, Keylong, is facing an acute shortage of specialist doctors as two doctors have gone for higher studies.

Last year, Youth Congress workers had held a protest at Keylong to force the government to fill all seven posts of doctor in the hospital. The government had appointed a medicine specialist and a paediatrician. But both left the hospital for higher studies. Now, local residents are requesting the government to fill the posts on priority.

Kunga Bodh, a member of zila parishad, said, “The residents are lacking the basic health facilities. X-ray, ultrasound and CT scan machines are lying idle due to the unavailability of radiologists. Patients have to travel a long distance from Lahaul to reach Kullu to conduct the tests. Due to the poor health services, critically ill patients are being referred to the Kullu hospital,” he said.

“The posts of gynaecologist, general surgeon, orthopaediatrician, ENT, paediatrician, eye specialist and anaesthetist have been lying vacant for long,’’ he added.

“There is an urgent need to fill these posts to ensure better medical care in the district,” said Mohan Lal, another resident.

Former Congress MLA Ravi Thakur said Tribal Development Minister Ram Lal Markanda, who represents the Lahaul and Spiti constituency, should take up the issue with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to ensure better health care in the district.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Madan Bandhu said the seven posts of specialist doctor are lying vacant at the Keylong hospital, he said.

Two doctors gone for higher studies

• The government had appointed a medicine specialist and a paediatrician last year but both left for higher studies
• X-ray, ultrasound and CT scan machines are lying idle in the hospital due to the unavailability of radiologists

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