Srinagar, Mar 1: The dearth of non Public Service Commission confirmed Registrars in the Anesthesia, Critical Care and Radiology departments of the Government Medical College Srinagar has adversely affected the patient care at the GMC associated hospitals.
 Sources in the GMC told Greater Kashmir that out of 20 Registrar posts, only 13 are currently working in the Anesthesia and Critical Care department. “Due to the shortage of Registrars the staff is overburdened and unable to do justice with their job,” sources said.
 They said that the cause of shortage was that the registrars working in the department were shifting to SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura and the SKIMS Medical College.
 “There is a huge pay disparity in the Registrarship in the associated hospitals of GMC and SKIMS and that is why the Anesthesia registrars prefer to work with SKIMS,” sources said.
 They said the a Non PSC Registrar in GMC is paid Rs 26,000 per month while as the Registrar in SKIMS is paid Rs 37000, adding that the registrars in SKIMS get yearly increment which was missing in case of SMHS registrars.
 They said the authorities in GMC recently advertised posts for Registrarship in Anesthesia department. “However, nobody appeared in the interview citing the reason of less remuneration,” sources revealed.
 Sources said that more registrars were mulling to shift to the SKIMS after posts are advertised by the Institute. “If that happens, the Department will get defunct and the onus would lie on the GMC management,” sources revealed.
 The doctors working in the Anesthesia department said that despite workforce shortage, they were trying their best to provide good patient care. “We are manning ICUs, working in theatres and OPDs in SMHS, Lal Ded, Bone & Joint, G B Pant, Psychiatry and Dental hospital wherein more than 200 surgeries are done everyday and more than 100 pre-aesthetic checkups are conducted. Despite such hectic schedule, we are working round the clock for the welfare of the people,” the medicos explained.
 Sources in the Radiology Department complained about the lack of workforce. “We have seven posts of Registrars and only three are filled. Nobody is willing to join this place as there is huge pay disparity between SMHS and SKIMS,” sources said adding the brunt of staff shortage was borne by those working in the department. “Despite facing acute staff shortage, we are conducting tests regularly and are managing the emergencies,” a medico in the department told Greater Kashmir.
 Sources said that there was shortage of Registrars in Psychiatry department also. "Out of seven posts, only one was working in the department," they said.
 Experts said as per MCI guidelines, Anesthesia branch “being very delicate needs meticulous monitoring as far as intra operative complications during operations are concerned.”
 “So that way doctors should not get more mental stress as that would directly affect the patient care,” he added.
 When contacted, the GMC Principal, Prof Qazi Masood acknowledged that the Registrars were preferring SKIMS over GMC due to monetary benefits.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Mar 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Mar 2012 00:00:00 IST