Guntur: Healthcare services in government-managed hospitals in rural areas of the district are in a disarray because of severe shortage of medical officers. The situation in the backward Palnadu region has turned from bad to worse as doctors are said to be refusing to join even after getting transfer orders from the government. Sources said that doctors who got shifted to Palnadu region from other parts of the district are either quitting the government service or going on a long-leave.More worryingly, primary health centres in most mandal headquarter towns have become mere referring centres as the staff is routing patients to the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Guntur, citing lack of doctors and infrastructure. The staff in PHCs is not even handling delivery cases, forcing poor people to depend on private hospitals.Many of the mandals in Macherla, Gurazala, and Vinukonda constituencies are nearly 200km away from the GGH, Guntur.People do not prefer travelling to district headquarters in view of the growing costs. Although, the services in GGH are extended completely free of cost, citizens fear additional burden of accommodation and food expenditure if they have to take the patient to faraway towns. Besides, they will also have to forgo daily wages in case they have to stay put in Guntur.Social activist and AAP leader Dr Tata Seva Kumar, said: “Setting focus on Arogyasri schemes, the government had completely neglected public health institutions, leaving people to depend on private hospitals. This is only resulting in miscarriage of public healthcare.”According to information, around 60-70% of deliveries in the district are being handled by private hospitals. Nearly 6,300 deliveries of the total 9,900 were handled by private hospitals during the current financial year. Private hospitals managed about 41,000 deliveries of the total 65,000 during 2017-18. Similarly, private hospitals took care of nearly 45,000 delivery cases of the total 66,000 during 2016-17.Vinukonda legislator and district TDP president GVSSR Anjaneyulu, said, “Senior officials bring the issue to the notice of the government, and set things right as people in rural areas are suffering because of shortage of doctors and poor services in PHCs.” Interestingly, district coordinator of AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad, Dr P Kumar, got an earful from assembly speaker Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao for commenting that political pressures and interference by local leaders is scaring doctors away from Palnadu region.

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