RTI data shows staffing gaps: 50 per cent of Class IV posts vacant, over 100 doctor positions unfilled at Sassoon Hospital

A Right to Information (RTI) query filed by The Indian Express shows that half of the 843 sanctioned Class IV posts at Sassoon General Hospital, Pune – Maharashtra's largest government-run tertiary care facility – have been vacant for several years. In addition to the non-technical staff crunch, the hospital has also had to deal with a shortfall in medical professionals. There are 118 vacant posts for doctors, as per RTI data.
Patient load
The 1,296-bed facility has an increasing patient load, and approximately 2,000 patients visit the outpatient departments daily for medical treatment. Additional workload during the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated an increase in bed capacity. However, there has been a delay in filling up corresponding staff vacancies.
Presently, there is a requirement for 190 nurses. As per RTI data, there are 1,108 permanent posts of nurses, of which 918 have been filled. There are 834 Class IV posts, of which 416 are lying vacant. Of the 301 permanent sanctioned posts of doctors, a total of 183 have been filled, while 118 are lying vacant.
Data shows that of the 18 permanent posts of X-ray technicians, a total of five are vacant, while there is a need for four more healthcare professionals to operate the computed tomography (CT) scanners. This is a long-pending issue, and over the years, the government hospital has faced numerous challenges to ensure quality patient care, improve infrastructure, and maintain effective administration.
Long queues are a routine sight at the X-ray department, where most patients are subjected to an entire day's waiting period to get an ultrasound scan. Several concerns have been flagged over the years about the hospital's sanitation and cleanliness, and the condition of wards and outpatient departments has attracted significant criticism.
As per RTI data at the B J Government Medical College, a total of 18 posts of associate professors and 27 assistant professor posts are yet to be filled.
Too little
While efforts are being taken to address the requirements of some of the short-staffed departments, as per the data, the post of professor at the biochemistry and orthopaedic department is vacant. At the anatomy department, three posts of assistant professors are vacant, while one associate professor post is yet to be filled.
The physiology department requires four more assistant professors. Presently, three posts have been filled. As many as 10 posts of assistant professors are lying vacant at the medicine department, while five assistant professor posts and two associate professor posts are yet to be filled at the surgery department. 'Fewer faculty often can impact the focus on research activities and publications that are important for the institution's reputation,' an expert said.
When contacted, Dr Eknath Pawar, Dean, B J Government Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, told The Indian Express that the staff shortage is being addressed. 'As part of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) recruitment process, interviews are being scheduled, and we have urged them to fast-track the process. At the local level, through the district collector's office, recruitments can also be done, and we are looking into that. Cleanliness services are being outsourced,' Dr Pawar said. 'An advertisement will be issued and we hope to fill Class IV posts soon,' he added.
Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition.
... Read More

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Indian Express

30 minutes ago

• Indian Express

Got no ambulance for hours, say parents of Jharkhand girl who died after fall; Opposition slams govt ‘inaction'

A 13-year-old girl in Jharkhand's Godda district on Thursday fell from a building and later succumbed to her injuries after allegedly not getting an ambulance in time, her family has said. Opposition leader Babulal Marandi raised the issue on social media, saying the girl waited for the ambulance for hours, and accused the state Health Ministry of 'inaction and corruption'. The incident happened in the Madan Chowki village of Thakurgangti police station area. The victim's parents, Sanjay Mahto and his wife, alleged that there was no ambulance available despite continuous calls to the 108 service for over three hours. हेमंत सरकार की घोर लापरवाही का खामियाजा गोड्डा की एक मासूम बेटी को अपनी जान देकर भुगतना पड़ा। छत से गिरकर गंभीर रूप से घायल हुई बच्ची के परिजन घंटों तक एम्बुलेंस का इंतजार करते रहे, लेकिन सरकारी एम्बुलेंस समय पर नहीं पहुंची। स्वास्थ्य मंत्री और विभागीय अधिकारियों की निष्क्रियता… — Babulal Marandi (@yourBabulal) June 22, 2025 In a purported video that went viral, the parents said that after failing to get a government ambulance, they had to hire a private one. On Sunday, Civil Surgeon of Godda, Dr Anand Kumar Jha, told The Indian Express: 'I received the information about this case only yesterday. No prior intimation or official report came to us earlier.' He said that the full report from hospital authorities and the ambulance service is expected by tomorrow. The Civil Surgeon also said that he has initiated a probe and has asked the Deputy Superintendent and the ambulance agency for an explanation. 'We are verifying whether any calls were made to the 108 service and if so, why they were not attended to. If there was a failure in the system, action will be taken,' he said. The child was registered in the hospital's records, Jha said, suggesting that the family may have initially reached Godda's Sadar Hospital before attempting to move the child to Ranchi. Officials are also trying to ascertain whether standard referral protocols were followed, especially regarding the formal referral from the district hospital to Ranchi, he said. After a series of similar incidents reported from rural areas, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi raised the issue and slammed the state government. He posted on X saying: 'A young girl from Godda had to pay the price for the gross negligence of the Hemant Soren government with her life. The family of the girl, who was seriously injured after falling from the roof, kept waiting for the ambulance for hours, but the government ambulance did not arrive on time. The inaction and corruption of the Health Minister and senior health officials are now directly endangering the lives of citizens. Be it the free ambulance service or the Ayushman Bharat Yojana… the Hemant government has turned every healthcare initiative into a den of corruption and commission. @HemantSorenJMM Sir, stop putting people's lives at risk by keeping silent on the widespread corruption in the health department.' Shubham Tigga hails from Chhattisgarh and studied journalism at the Asian College of Journalism. He previously reported in Chhattisgarh on Indigenous issues and is deeply interested in covering socio-political, human rights, and environmental issues in mainland and NE India. Presently based in Pune, he reports on civil aviation, other transport sectors, urban mobility, the gig economy, commercial matters, and workers' unions. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More

Time of India

4 hours ago

• Time of India

A new HIV drug promises 99.9% protection. But it's making Indian health activists wary; Why?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lenacapavir, a new injectable drug that claims to offer 99.9% protection against HIV. But concerns are being raised in India over its affordability and accessibility, particularly through the public healthcare system. The injection costs around ₹24 lakh ($28,218) for two doses administered six months apart. Lenacapavir belongs to the class of HIV prevention drugs known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, India's National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has not included PrEP in its public programmes so far. "Our govt distributes condoms to break HIV transmission, it provides antiretroviral therapy drugs to prevent parent-to-child transmission of HIV, but it hasn't ever given PrEP to youngsters who are likely to indulge in high-risk behaviour," said health activist Ganesh Acharya. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Hanoi: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo He added that NACO had made it mandatory for its counselling centres to provide information on PrEP a couple of years ago. He also expressed concern that 75% of the 88% people diagnosed with HIV in Mumbai in 2023–24 were from the 15–49 age group. PrEP, however, remains available only in the private sector. Experts call for government action, tiered pricing PrEP has existed for over a decade and is widely used in developed countries. In India, public health discussions around PrEP only began recently. Live Events A doctor from a government hospital said, "They set up a committee, then a white paper was brought out that served as a backgrounder for guidelines that were drawn up last year. However, there has been no development since." Dr Ishwar Gilada of the People's Health Organisation (India) said, "The govt should distribute PrEP to check the spread of the disease, which has only been increasing in recent years. The total number of HIV-positive people in India increased from 2.2 million to 2.5 million in a few years." According to him, sexually transmitted infections have been rising in Mumbai. "A recent survey in Mumbai among men who have sex with men found that 60% of them were positive for the human papilloma virus. While gonorrhoea and chlamydia vanished 25 years ago, their numbers are shooting up," he said. He suggested a three-tier pricing structure: full price for those who can afford it, subsidised pricing for some, and free access for those unable to pay. NACO officials were not available for comment. India has also not approved HIV self-testing kits. "We have self-testing kits for pregnancy, diabetes, and Covid, but policymakers fear about the mental health of people after a positive result in self-testing HIV kits," said Dr Gilada. A senior doctor suggested that similar fears may be behind the delay in rolling out PrEP publicly, as officials worry it might encourage risky behaviour. Hope for lower-cost versions as UNAIDS urges price drop Bala from Bombay Gay called lenacapavir a "monumental milestone forward in HIV treatment and prevention," but added that the current price point makes it inaccessible in India. "So, we have to wait and see if prices will come down over time," he said. Dr Gilada expressed hope that Indian manufacturers licensed by Gilead Sciences might eventually offer the injection at less than $100 per year. "India can do it," he said. UNAIDS, in a recent statement, urged Gilead Lifesciences to reduce the price of the new drug to improve global access.

India Today

5 hours ago

• India Today

From headache to hospitalization: How seasonal flu has changed post-COVID

In the past, the seasonal flu was considered a bothersome condition that resembled the common cold or "fun flu" and was characterized by minor headaches, a mild fever, some body pains, and exhaustion. Since then, the flu's clinical manifestation and/or intensity have evolved. On the other side of COVID, more people show up in hospitals with what appear to be routine flu-like symptoms that rapidly worsen because of serious respiratory issues. Dr. Pratibha Walde, Consultant - Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Kharadi, Pune explains what has changedOur bodies have changed: The body's reaction to influenza viruses, co-infections, and, of course, the long-term consequences of COVID-19 has been altered by post-pandemic immunological sensitivity. A previously healthy people may develop myocarditis (inflammation of the heart tissue), pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and in certain situations, multi-organ hospitalisations are on the rise: The most at risk will always be elderly people, children, and those with a history of heart problems, diabetes, or asthma. However, the number of hospitalizations for severe flu-related diseases is increasing, especially among younger people without comorbidities. What usually begins as a sore throat or moderate headache can frequently worsen into a high-grade fever, dyspnea, and chest pain, necessitating oxygen therapy or an admission to the intensive care is also requiring more complex intervetions: The rise in instances requiring the procedure or pleural tapping is one of the most alarming trends we have observed. This entails removing contaminated fluid from the pleural space that envelops the lungs. These situations usually occur when the flu causes substantial pleural effusions or an empyema, which is pus in the pleural space. Large pleural effusions and empyema can cause lung collapse, sepsis, or impairment of lung function if left untreated. The probability of needing mechanical ventilation is further impacted by bruised lungs and postponed treatment, particularly if the infection triggered acute respiratory distress syndrome. With a guarded prognosis, recovery from multi-system failures like ARDS can be Early medical attention is crucial: It is necessary to seek medical attention as soon as possible. It has been shown that antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) work best when taken during the first 48 hours of symptoms. While rest, hydration, supportive care, and symptom monitoring are important, it's imperative to get medical help if symptoms initial line of defense is still vaccination: The annual flu shot has a new significance in a world where COVID-19 has changed everything. It is for the public as well as those at risk and the elderly. Vaccination can reduce the need for invasive operations and hospital stays when combined with early detection and medical treatment. Seasonal flu is more than just "the flu" these days. The clinical course is more severe and less predictable. Early symptom detection and timely medical evaluation could make the difference between a full recovery and an extended hospital to India Today Magazine