Shimla, Dec 21,
The state’s health services face a 41.87% shortfall in human resources, with a particular shortage of doctors and specialists across various levels of healthcare facilities in the State. In medical college hospitals and district hospitals, the shortfall in doctors ranged from 9% to 56%, while shortages of specialists were as high as 49% in some regions. This was revealed in a recent performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. The audit has highlighted significant deficiencies in the healthcare infrastructure and management of health services in Himachal Pradesh. The CAG report, titled “Performance Audit on Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services,” scrutinizes the state’s health services from 2016 to 2021, revealing critical gaps in funding, infrastructure, manpower, and service delivery.
Moreover, the CAG report also raised concerns about the lack of regulatory oversight in the private healthcare sector. Many private clinical establishments operated without permanent registration, and health institutions failed to comply with required inspections and licensing regulations, such as those for blood banks and X-ray facilities.
Despite surpassing national indicators for infant mortality rates, Himachal Pradesh has struggled with even other key health indicators.
The audit also uncovered a shortage of essential services in health institutions, including emergency care, radiology, and maternity services. Notably, ICU services were unavailable in several district hospitals, and many community health centres lacked basic diagnostic services like X-rays and ultrasounds. The report pointed out that inadequate infrastructure, including a shortage of beds and a lack of sufficient power supply and water storage, further hampered service delivery.
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The state’s ambitious Health and Wellness Centre program, which aims to provide comprehensive health services at the grassroots level, has faced operational hurdles, including shortages of manpower and infrastructure. Out of 2,136 notified centres, only 1,468 were operational by March 2023, and many centers struggled with underfunding and poor infrastructure.
In terms of healthcare financing, Himachal Pradesh’s spending on health services was significantly below national targets, with the state allocating only 6.35% of its total expenditure to health in 2021-22, falling short of the 8% target set by the National Health Policy. The audit also criticized the slow and inefficient management of funds under the National Health Mission, with funds often remaining unutilized and delayed project completions.
The report also highlights alarming findings regarding the procurement of medical equipment and drugs, with instances of expired drugs and malfunctioning medical equipment that remained unrepaired for months.
This audit critically underscores the urgent need for significant improvements in the state’s health infrastructure, funding, and regulatory mechanisms to meet the growing healthcare needs of the population and achieve the targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-3).
