Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Apr 5: Doctors in Government health institutions across J&K are attending an average of 67 patients daily, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has said, flagging a heavy workload that could affect the quality of healthcare delivery.
The observation is part of an audit report on public health infrastructure and management of health services for the period ending March 2022.
The findings are based on interactions with 78 doctors across six district hospitals (DHs) and sub-district hospitals/community health centres (SDHs/CHCs).
According to the report, doctors in district hospitals handle an even higher patient load, attending to around 75 patients per day, while those posted in SDHs and CHCs see an average of 59 patients daily.
The audit noted that the high patient volume reflects increasing reliance on public health facilities and raises concerns about consultation time and patient care outcomes.
Despite a majority of doctors being well-qualified-53 out of 78 surveyed were postgraduates-the report highlighted several systemic challenges.
About 33 per cent of doctors reported inadequate infrastructure in their hospitals, indicating gaps in facilities required for effective treatment.
Shortages of essential medicines were also flagged, with 16 doctors stating that generic drugs were not available in hospital pharmacies.
The audit further pointed to deficiencies in adherence to standard treatment practices, noting that manuals on Standard Treatment Guidelines were not available in the chambers of 56 doctors.
The report also raised concerns about awareness and record management.
Fifteen doctors said they were not aware of the medical records maintained in their institutions, suggesting lapses in patient data handling and continuity of care.
A majority of respondents-71 out of 78 doctors-stressed the need for improvements in healthcare infrastructure, particularly in ensuring the availability of equipment, machinery and medicines in line with patient requirements.
However, the audit noted that 70 doctors confirmed the presence of proper monitoring systems for patients requiring long-term or continuous treatment.
The audit findings noted growing strain on healthcare services in J&K and highlighted the need for urgent measures to strengthen infrastructure, streamline resource availability, and reduce the burden on medical professionals.
The audit further found that most hospitals failed to conduct mandatory in-patient satisfaction surveys between 2016 and 2021, as required under National Health Mission guidelines.
To assess patient experience, auditors conducted an independent survey of 574 in-patients across tertiary-level hospitals, district hospitals (DHs), sub-district hospitals/community health centres (SDHs/CHCs), and primary health centres (PHCs).
While patients reported high satisfaction with staff behaviour and the promptness of nursing response, major deficiencies were observed in service delivery.
The availability of prescribed drugs remained inconsistent, with 22 percent of patients in DHs and 36 per cent in SDHs/CHCs reporting non-availability.
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