Transparency in private hospitals, improvement of infrastructure like the residences for teachers at government medical colleges in the districts, better facilities in government hospitals at all levels and safety and security for medical students were among the points discussed in a meeting between the BJP’s doctor MLAs and officials of the state health department on Monday.
Eight doctor MLAs of the BJP held a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with health officials at Swasthya Bhavan to discuss the improvement of infrastructure at various levels. Officials from the chief minister’s office were also present.
“We discussed problems under four verticals. Based on the discussions, we have prepared proposals and will submit them to the chief minister,” said Sharadwat Mukherjee, oncologist and the BJP’s MLA from Bidhannagar.
One of the points discussed was the need for more transparency at private hospitals.
“Patients getting admitted to private hospitals often don’t know about the actual cost of oxygen. The hospitals have to be more transparent,” said Mukherjee. “The rates of services have to be clearly mentioned to patients,” he said.
They also discussed the lack of proper accommodation and infrastructure at government medical colleges in the districts.
“The earlier government had built several medical colleges, but they did not create proper accommodation for teachers. These medical colleges were built with 70% funding from the Centre, which the state government did not mention,” said Mukherjee.
“Teachers, particularly women teachers, who go there from Calcutta to teach, face severe problems in staying. Many of them have to stay in hotels and come back after some time. So, the students are also unhappy,” said Mukherjee.
The lack of infrastructure at government-run hospitals in districts, subdivisions, and blocks was discussed.
“There are doctors, but no facilities at these hospitals. So, often, the doctors there are forced to refer patients to the city,” he said.
“All hospitals in the districts should have adequate numbers of specialist doctors. Patients from district hospitals or even medical colleges in the districts come to Calcutta for treatment. This has to stop,” said another doctor-MLA who attended the meeting.
Retired doctors of state-run hospitals and officials of the health department have earlier blamed the absence of senior doctors from the hospitals for the referral. Though posted in the hospitals, the senior doctors remain absent.
“We discussed a few measures on how to ensure that doctors remain present,” he said.
Along with these, the problems faced by medical students were also discussed.
“All medical colleges need to have sports facilities. Also, the conditions of hostels and canteens are pathetic. There has been no election of students’ unions in 15 years. We have interacted with the students and found out these issues,” said Mukherjee.
Sources present at the meeting said the doctor MLAs also proposed that merit-based counselling and posting of postgraduate trainees, which was done away with in March, should be reintroduced.
In merit-based counselling, postgraduate trainees are allowed to choose the college based on their rank on the merit list. Postgraduate trainees have to serve three years in state-run hospitals after obtaining their master’s degree.
“Postings were done as the government wished. That will stop, and merit-based counselling and posting will be reintroduced,” a BJP MLA said.
Monday’s meeting between the doctor MLAs and health department officials comes two days after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari met officials and heads of medical colleges at SSKM Hospital on Friday.
Suvendu told the officials that patients should not be turned away from state-run hospitals or forced to move from one healthcare facility to another in search of a bed.
The meeting, held at SSKM Hospital, was Suvendu’s first interaction with health officials. The BJP’s two doctor-MLAs — Sharadwat Mukherjee from Salt Lake and Indranil Khan from Behala West — were present.
“Monday’s meeting was held under the instructions of the chief minister, who has made it clear that there would be no nepotism or corruption in the health sector in
Bengal. We discussed a few things,” said Indranil Khan, the Behala West MLA who was among the doctors present at the meeting.