The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) is going to make it compulsory on the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Nashik, to provide more doctors and other healthcare staff as there is shortage of adequate staff.

Civic officials have stated that they had increased the salaries of doctors, however still not getting enough staff in spite of floating advertisements and directing interviews twice. In the recent general body meeting, the civic administration admitted that both Zakir Hussain and Bytco COVID hospitals have only four physicians left, which are working on a part-time basis.

The officials said they are again going to have floating advertisements and conduct interviews for the third time. They will make it mandatory for IMA to provide doctors if they don’t get proper response in this third recruitment drive.

The NMC earlier had floated an advertisement for 843 posts of doctors, medical and paramedical staff for its various COVID care centres and hospitals. It had also issued appointment letters to 710 applicants, but out of them only 527 medical staff joined and 300 posts are vacant.

A senior civic health official said that they required 10 physicians (MD medicines), but got only four of them from private hospitals. Two of them are working on a part-time basis in Zakir Hussain and Bytco hospitals. In the meantime, they have got one physician from the government and is appointed at Bytco hospital. Furthermore, they required 50 MBBS doctors, but received only five during interviews that were held in July and August. Walk-in interviews will be organizedin a week. However, they are doubtful regarding the response in view of the past experience.

IMA president Sameer Chandratre said that the four physicians appointed at Bytco and Zakir Hussain hospitals are provided by the association. He further said that private doctors are already treating COVID-19 patients in 65 private hospitals across the city. Also, IMA doctors are providing their services to COVID-19 patients in Nashik district civil hospital along with the Medical college hospital. Approximately, 25 private doctors are tested COVID-19 positive in Nashik city. The IMA is making efforts to treat patients in civic, government as well as private hospitals.

Source: The Times of India