Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) may be short staffed, but when over 450 of its staff members go on Child Care Leave in 15 months, then there is an administrative problem.
Records with the Directorate of Health Services show that from January 2014 to March 2016, a total of 494 staff members of the GMC availed of CCL, which was one of the causes of shortage of staff to man the hospital.
Of the total strength of 550 staff nurses at the GMC, 302 staff nurses availed CCL in past 15 months. CCL is a special leave granted to the staff for a maximum period of two years at a time. GMC records reveal that almost 35 doctors also availed this leave in the past 15 months. Most of the staff members have since rejoined but some are still on child care leave.
Besides doctors and nurses over 150 other staff have also availed CCL, and these include lower and upper division clerks, technicians, sweepers and attendants.
GMC is facing a major problem due to vacant posts not being filled and the process has presently lapsed. As per government records, there is a shortage of staff nurses, technicians and Class IV employees to get GMC in shape.
The GMC staff union has suggested that the hospital recruit contract staff to manage the work temporarily when staff is on long leave. The union has also blamed the administration for not following up on staff shortage which puts the general public in trauma.
GMC has recruited 200 nurses in the past five years as per records with the directorate but the situation has not improved. In the past a minister had gone on record stating that getting nurses in GMC is turning difficult as nurses find better financial packages and facilities abroad.
Besides the staff shortage, GMC has various other issues that have remained unresolved over the past four years, the most crucial being shortage of water. According to GMC authorities there is no shortage of water but in reality the situation is worsening day by day.
