Bhopal: 108 emergency ambulance medical staff have access to only five doctors for consultation, against the requisite of 21 doctors, revealed an RTI query. Ziqitza health care, operating 108 emergency ambulance and Janani Express in the state, has thrown all rules to wind and running the services with minimum possible staff. Ignoring the contract norm the company has employed only 5 doctors against 21.
As per the contract, at the emergency call centre having 75 operators, there should be seven doctors to give required direction to the paramedical staff of the 108 ambulance and Janani Express. However, the company, violating the contract norms has engaged only five doctors for 25 hours against the requirement of 21 doctors. While as per norm there should be three shifts and every shift should have seven doctors available for consultation.
The National Health Mission had given the unified contract to the company at state level, so that the health services of the state could be properly streamlined. However, taking advantage of poor monitoring by the government officials, the company has employed only five doctors.
The NHM has given huge amount to run the services in the state, but the Company by violating the rules utilising the money for its own good. The company is paying for the services of only five doctors and where the money sanctioned for 16 medical practitioners are going is best known to the company.
The paramedical staff at ambulance are though capable of handling trauma patients, but when it comes to any specialised medicine, they are required to take advice of a doctor. At time of an emergency the staff has to contact qualified doctor sitting at the state control room. However, many a times their call to the centre remain unanswered.
On condition of anonymity one of the staff posted at ambulance said they always find doctor’s phone engaged. They are permitted only to give primary treatment to the patient and thereafter they have to rush to nearby hospital for the further treatment.
“All this is happening because the call centre is not having proper number of doctors, many patients’ die in midway or they take more time in hospital to revive, because they were not given required treatment at very first stage,” he alleged.
“The NHM is providing the funds to the company according to contract, but the company is violating the norms. If the company is paying Rs 40,000 to a doctor than it is saving Rs 6.40 lakh per month, the amount that should have gone to 16 doctors if their services had been taken,” said another paramedical staff.
