CAG flags shortage of healthcare staff and irregularities in Chhattisgarh

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has highlighted the shortage of government healthcare personnel and irregularities in the procurement of medicines and medical equipment in Chhattisgarh.

The CAG report on performance audit of Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services for the year ended March 2022 was tabled in the state assembly on Friday. There was an overall shortage of 34 per cent (25,793 personnel) against the sanctioned strength of 74,797 in the health department, it said. Though the doctor per population ratio (1: 2492) improved during 2016-22, it was far behind the WHO benchmark of one doctor for 1,000 people and national ratio of 1:1456. The posts of doctors were not sanctioned uniformly on the basis of population, resulting in uneven distribution of doctors under the Directorate Health Services across districts, the CAG said. In 23 district hospitals, there was a shortage of specialist doctors (33 per cent), medical officers (four per cent) ..