Nabarangpur, Feb, 18: In Nabarangpur, there has been a demand to appoint doctors and remove service disparities before laying the foundation stone of the proposed medical college. Out of 395 sanctioned doctor posts in the district, only 222 are currently filled.
According to reports, Mohan Charan Majhi is scheduled to visit Nabarangpur tomorrow to lay the foundation stone of the proposed medical college. However, before the foundation ceremony, stakeholders have demanded that the government address category revision and incentive payment disparities for doctors working in difficult and remote areas like Nabarangpur, and fill vacant posts of specialist doctors, general doctors, and other technical staff.
Despite challenging conditions, doctors in the district are continuing to provide healthcare services. For doctors serving in KBK-region areas, the government has introduced special financial incentive categories — V1, V2, V3, and V4. In Nabarangpur district, only V1 and V2 categories are applicable. In contrast, neighboring Koraput district has been included under V3 and V4 categories despite having relatively better facilities.
Doctors working in Koraput receive incentives of Rs30,000–Rs40,000, while doctors in Nabarangpur receive only about ₹5,000. Due to this disparity, doctors are reluctant to serve in remote blocks such as Raighar, Jharigaon, and Chandahandi.
District OMSA secretary Dr. Dasharath Nag, social worker Kadambini Tripathy, and lawyers Santosh Mishra and Tapan Debnath have demanded removal of these obstacles and immediate recruitment of doctors and staff.
Staffing data shows serious shortages:
Across 50 PHCs and CHCs, only 222 doctors are in place against 395 sanctioned posts
At the District Headquarters Hospital, only 33 doctors are working against 87 posts
Only 18 specialists are available against 68 sanctioned posts, and 10 of them are on long leave
Administrative officers: 4 in place of 8
Pharmacists: 30 in place of 70
Nursing officers: 301 in place of 624
Some specialist doctors have not joined even after posting and remain on extended leave.
Nabarangpur MLA Gaurishankar Majhi said that once the medical college is established in the district, doctor shortages and several other healthcare-related problems are expected to be resolved.
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