Patiala Health Dept Going Through Staff Shortage Problem

The Health and Family Welfare Department in the city of Patiala is confronting a severe shortage of female Multipurpose Health Workers (MHW). The load of work has, therefore, heightened manifold, putting the Multipurpose Health Workers under huge pressure.

The Multipurpose Health Workers form the back of the Health Department and carry out a variety of duties, comprising dealing immunization, deliveries and medical termination of gestations, family planning plans and records. They also carry out studies, offer health teaching and assist execute all other national programmes.

As per the strategy, there must be one multipurpose health worker for 5,000 individuals in cities. However, in Patiala region every multipurpose health worker is catering to around 10,000 individuals in the majority of regions and more than 30,000 people in a few.

Patiala city has a populace of 4.5 lakh people with 45 authorized posts of female workers and out of these 17 are lying empty. Sources said they had time and again complained about the excessive workload but in vain. Civil Surgeon Dr Virinder Singh Mohi confirming there was shortage of staff.