RIMS facing acute medical, paramedical staff crunch

Srikakulam: Government Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospital has been facing medical and paramedical staff crunch. RIMS hospital was established by the then Congress government in 2008. Presently, there are 20 departments in the hospital - eight non-clinical and 12 clinical departments.

In the beginning, RIMS hospital was designated as teaching hospital as it is attached to RIMS Medical College with 100 MBBS seats. Now, the seats have been enhanced to 150. For all these 20 departments and medical college, 128 medical professionals like professors, associate professors, assistant professors and tutors are working.

These medical professionals are required to perform both teaching and medical treatment duties at RIMS. At the time of establishment, there were 250 beds in the hospital. Now, it has bed strength of 750 as the government increased the number of beds twice.

To cater to the present needs, another 120 medical professionals are required for RIMS. With regard to paramedical staff like nursing, total available staff nurses are 214 and head nurses are 41. These 255 nurses have to work in three shifts covering all 20 departments in the hospital. In order to provide better services to the patients, another 255 nursing staff is required at RIMS.

Regarding supportive staff, male nursing order (MNOs) and female nursing order (FNOs) have to assist medical and nursing staff and also serve patients. But only 24 MNOs and 17 FNOs are available at RIMS which is insufficient. As a result, services to patients are poor at RIMS and often disputes are being reported in several wards due to shortage of staff.

Initially, total area of the RIMS was 2.40 lakh sq ft now the area has been increased to 5.40 lakh sq ft. feet. In 2008, total sweepers were 220 and now, the same number continues. ``Facilities like buildings, wards, beds and departments are being increased at RIMS. But medical, paramedical and supportive staff have not been enhanced on par,'' Resident Medical officer (RMO), Dr Bammidi Chinna Appala Naidu explained to The Hans India.