Severe staff shortage at Chikkaballapur district hospital has prompted a seven-day directive to restore essential public health services.
Chikkaballapur
Public health services at several units of the Chikkaballapur District Hospital have been severely affected due to an acute shortage of staff, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) Chairperson Shashidhar Kosambe said on Monday. He announced that the commission has issued a strict directive to authorities to appoint the required personnel within seven days and ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for citizens.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the Mother and Child Hospital in the city, Kosambe expressed concern over the lack of adequate staffing in key departments. He noted that the commission had already conducted a detailed review of multiple divisions in the district hospital. Buildings constructed with government funds must begin providing services to the public immediately after inauguration. It is unacceptable that facilities remain non-functional due to staff shortages, he said.
Kosambe pointed to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the district hospital as a prime example. Although the government has provided funding, completed construction, and supplied necessary equipment, the unit has yet to begin functioning owing to the absence of trained personnel. District surgeons reportedly informed him of the issue during his visit. We will hold discussions with higher authorities and ensure immediate action is taken. If the matter is not resolved within seven days, we will be compelled to file a formal complaint, he warned.
The commission has written to heads of the relevant departments, directing them to complete staff appointments within the stipulated timeframe and ensure the public receives quality treatment without further delay.
As part of his district tour, KSCPCR Chairperson Shashidhar Kosambe and his team participated in a Gram Sabha at Manchanabele village in Chikkaballapur taluk earlier in the day, where they offered guidance on child welfare issues.