'There is a shortage of 7,000 to 8,000 docs, paramedics in MP'

Hindustan Times: Bhopal: Tuesday, 16 December 2014.

Madhya Pradesh health minister Narottam Mishra on Monday admitted there was a shortage of 7,000 to 8,000 doctors and paramedics in the state. Stressing that the government was trying its best to fill the gap, Mishra said 1,171 doctors would be recruited through Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission by February 2015.

Mishra, who was presenting the report card of the health department’s working for last one year, had to face a barrage of tough questions from mediapersons during the press meet here.

Mishra said after 1,171 doctors are recruited by February, 40 doctors would be posted in each such district that faced acute shortage at present. "Also, we will be in a position to have 5,000 doctors every year here from medical colleges by 2018 to deal with the shortage of doctors in the state health institutions," he said.

When questioned about the supply of substandard drugs and declining trust of the people on medicines provided by government hospitals, Mishra said there had been no supply of substandard medicines during last one year for which he was presenting the report card. "I must admit four years ago, there was a case of supply of substandard medicines in MP. But not after that," he said.

On a query whether the government had learnt any lessons from Chhattisgarh on the sterilization fiasco, Mishra said there was no need to learn any lessons from that state or any other state. "Other states need to learn lessons from MP. We just need to be cautious. That is all," he said.  On Sunday, doctors in MP had stated that they would perform sterilization operations in operation theatres only as they feared they might face similar action here too if something went wrong.

When asked by a reporter that it had come to light that 1,138 sterilization operations had failed in Satna district during last four years through a RTI  application, Mishra said he didn't have idea about any such data, adding that operations were being carried out in the state according to the guidelines of the Union health ministry.

Responding to a question whether the government would take steps to lessen alcoholism and drug addiction in the state as had been recently stressed by Narendra Modi, Mishra said that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was committed to not allowing opening of more liquor shops in the state. "I don’t drink myself. I am a vegetarian and don’t even use onions at home," he said.