Staff shortage cripples medical institutes at Karnataka district centres

At a time when the state government is planning to start nine new medical colleges across Karnataka to ensure every district has one tertiary medical care unit, a closer look at the functioning of the eight institutes of medical sciences that were started four to seven years ago are not encouraging.

The medical colleges in Koppal and Haveri do not have a building.

None of these eight institutes of medical science (Karwar, Bidar, Koppal, Gadag, Haveri, Chamarajanagar, Yadgir and Chikkamagaluru) has specialists to treat cardiac-related ailments and trauma centres, which are considered the most critical health care requirements. This is resulting in the majority of poor patients rushing to neighbouring bigger cities for treatment.

Unwillingness of specialist doctors to serve in tire-II and III cities and the lack of allocation of funds by the government to set up the infrastructure has resulted in the majority of eight medical institutes not functioning up to satisfactory level. Karnataka has nearly 10,795 MBBS seats out of which 3,500 seats are in 23 government medical colleges.

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Take for instance Karwar Institute of Medical Sciences. Started in 2017, this institute still does not have a cardiology and neurology department. There is no super-specialty hospital in entire Uttara Kannada district and the people of the district had pinned their hope on the medical college.

“Every time there is a severe accident on the Arbail Ghat, the patient is rushed to Hubballi or Goa for treatment. The patients with cardiac emergencies are rushed to Manipal (Udupi), which is around 180 km,” said Radhika Bhat, a resident of Ankola. There has been long-pending demand from the district residents to start a super specialty hospital to address such cases.

Highly placed sources at the Karwar Institute of Medical Sciences said even after calling applications for the post of specialist doctor nine times in the last three years, the institute did not get a single application. “Given its geographical position, doctors consider posting here as punishment,” he said.

Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), started during 2014-15 is no different from Karwar. GIMS Director Basavaraj Bommanahalli said of the total 241 sanctioned posts, 101 are vacant, the majority of which are tutors and senior resident doctors posts.

“GIMS has been achieving the required ‘milestones’ to get the elevation to the next level. However, retaining and getting specialist doctors and resource persons is a challenge,” he said.

Koppal Institute of Medical Sciences started in 2019 is still looking for suitable land to construct its own building. There are 20 posts vacant of specialist doctors at the institute, with a 450-bed hospital.

“The hospital is ituated in Kalyana Karnataka region, which has special reservation (Under Article 371(J)) for local candidates. Posts of certain specialists are vacant here. Efforts are being made to fill these posts,” said its Director Vijaynath Itagi.

Haveri Institute of Medical Sciences, inaugurated last year, is still functioning out of an engineering college building.

Medical Education Department Director Sujatha Rathod said the unwillingness of specialist doctors to stay and serve at these institutes is one of the main reasons for the government’s inability to upgrade these institutes with critical care and super speciality hospital facilities.

“We have required funds for providing facilities. However, due to a lack of human resources, we are unable to upgrade them. Majority of the doctors wish to stay only in bigger cities,” she said.