SDMC medical deparment has 15 specialist doctors, sanctioned strength is 85
Despite enjoying a surplus budget of hundreds of crores, the cash-rich South Delhi Municipal Corporation is yet to fill vacancies in several departments. With seven polyclinics, three 40-bed hospitals and 14 dispensaries under its jurisdiction, the SDMC’s medical department has only 15 specialist doctors out of a sanctioned strength of 85. The figures, accessed by The Indian Express, were provided by the SDMC in response to a query by leader of opposition Ramesh Matiala.
Moreover, the corporation has just five eye specialists (of 13); seven specialist paediatricians (of 16); seven specialist gynaecologists (of 13) and 10 compounders (of 41).
Citing these details, Matiala has written to Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat, stating that patients are not getting proper care as the civic body is understaffed. “The number of cases of vector-borne diseases keep increasing in Delhi. BJP talks about Swachh Bharat but how can we achieve it without filling vacant posts? If the corporation thinks it can function without these posts, then it’s better to do away with them. Why have budget, offices, etc for these posts unnecessarily?” he said.
Sehrawat said the corporation is in the process of assessing the staff shortage and will hire people on a contract basis soon. “Matiala is making these allegations, but he should also ask his own partymen — who have formed the government — why they have not conducted the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board exams so that permanent staff can be hired.”
The hospital management department is also short-staffed, with 179 posts of domestic breeding checkers, 114 field workers and 127 assistant malaria inspectors lying vacant.
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