Doctor and Ambulance Shortage Deepens Crisis at Existing Facility
Key Points:
- New 50-bed hospital worth Rs 25 crore stands ready but unopened
- Existing facility functions with just one ambulance instead of required numbers
- Civil surgeon says building has been handed to the health department
CHANDIL – A severe shortage of doctors and ambulances continues to plague the subdivisional hospital here, even as a fully equipped new building remains shut nearby.
Officials said the facility needs around 13 doctors to function smoothly. However, the number currently available falls well short of that requirement.
Only one ambulance is reportedly operational against the actual need. Meanwhile, patients keep arriving at the old, dilapidated building for treatment.
The existing hospital lacks even a proper drinking water arrangement. Besides that, an X-ray machine and an ultrasound unit have been installed, but their operating hours remain unclear.
A laboratory built at a cost of lakhs of rupees now lies shut. In addition, a solar power system meant to support electricity supply has reportedly been defunct for a long time.
The high-mast light at the premises is also in poor condition. A polio box kept on the hospital grounds has collected rainwater, raising fears of infection.
This comes even as a modern 50-bed hospital stands complete at Gangudih nearby, built at a cost of nearly Rs 25 crore. The new building has an operation theatre, a laboratory, a labour room, X-ray and ultrasound facilities, and residential quarters for doctors and staff.
However, its inauguration and operations remain pending despite the facilities being in place. National highways NH-32 and NH-33, which pass through Chandil, witness frequent road accidents.
Therefore, the continued closure of a modern hospital is being seen as more than an administrative delay. It directly affects patients requiring emergency care after such accidents.
According to the civil surgeon, the new building has already been transferred to the health department. “Correspondence has been carried out at the departmental level for the inauguration, and the hospital will begin operations as soon as it is inaugurated,” the civil surgeon said.
Residents say assurances are no longer enough given the scale of investment already made. They are demanding immediate operation of the new facility along with improved healthcare access.
The health infrastructure gap in Chandil stands in contrast to recent facility upgrades reported elsewhere in the state. Tata Main Hospital recently held a symposium on vascular health awareness.
Elsewhere, military veterans in Jharkhand were granted treatment access at AIIMS Deoghar this month. Independence Day events were also held nearby, including a flag hoisting at the Seraikela collectorate.
Local institutions marked the occasion too, with a women’s empowerment programme at Vananchal College in the district. A separate voter awareness drive was also held at Sona Devi University in Ghatshila around the same time.
