THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mission Aardram, intended to create people-friendly health delivery system, has hit a roadblock. The finance department is learnt to have objected to the creation of new posts in the hospitals, which have been selected in the second phase to be converted into family health centres (FHCs).Initially, the government had selected 170 primary health centres (PHCs) to be converted as FHCs. For this, the finance department had agreed to the post creation of 170 assistant surgeons, 170 lab technicians and 340 staff nurses.However, in the second phase, the health department has mooted a proposal to convert 500 PHCs as FHCs for which a proposal was sent to the finance department for corresponding post creation. Sources said that the finance department has not given the green signal citing financial liabilities.The department is not ready to create as many posts of doctors and para medical staff to this large number of hospitals at one go. It would incur a huge financial liability to the state's exchequer, the finance department has pointed out."Instead of increasing the number of hospitals, strengthening of the existing facilities would have been better. In the long run the mission is not going to become successful if there is no adequate staff strength. Human resources is the main part while implementing such projects. But here we have planned the project first and now thinking of creating the human resources," said Dr N Sulphi, state secretary of Indian Medical Association.The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has also expressed concern over the lack of staff strength. "Already there is severe shortage of man power. Instead of filling this deficiency, expansion of hospitals should not have been decided. Aardram was launched without a clear-cut plan," KGMOA state president Dr A K Raoof said.Even in the 170 PHCs where the new post creation has been approved, the appointments have not been completed till now. The posts of pharmacists have also not been created in several hospitals. The health department had decided to have a minimum of three doctors in each FHC to work from 9am to 6pm. Apart from the existing doctor in the PHC, one new post of doctor was created by the government and the local bodies were asked to appoint one doctor.

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