THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Before you are taken in by a hospital ad that boasts of its various facilities, including highly sophisticated operation theatres, check out how many anaesthetists serve the hospital.Especially so, if you are going in for a childbirth. For one major reason cited for the very high number of caesarean sections is the shortage of anaesthetists in the state, both in the private and public sector.While in the private sector, four to five hospitals share one anaesthetist, no gynaecologist can afford to wait for the expectant mother to go through the labour pain for hours together. Once the anaesthetist, who comes for a few hours to a particular time leaves the hospital, the risk of unforeseen complications increases the responsibility of the gynaecologist. Therefore, the expectant mother is given a limited time period to deliver the nature’s way.The case in the public sector hospitals is just as bad, admits Director of Health Services Dr P K Jameela. “In spite of the hike in pay, there are only a few anaesthetist doctors who are willing to come into the government sector, especially since there is a shortage of anaesthetists in the private sector too. In the private hospitals, they get the money they quote,” says Dr Jameela.According to the figures received from the Directorate of Health Services updated till October last, the number of anaesthetists is grossly inadequate in several districts of the state. The worst case scenario is Palakkad, where the total number of vacancies is eight.Ernakulam district has the vacancy of one senior consultant and two junior consultants, which definitely would have contributed to the whopping high rate of C-sections at 64.17 percent in the public hospitals. More than half the women have to go under the knife, and anaesthesia, to get a child. The figures from the private hospitals are not available.Almost catching up with Ernakulam is Kollam district, where also more than half the expectant mothers have to go for C-sections, totally depending on the anaesthetists, who have to stretch their working hours to fulfil the demand. The vacancy of anaesthetists in Kollam is six, two less than Palakkad. The percentage of C-sections in government hospitals at Kollam is 55.21.Thrissur district with five vacant posts of anaesthetists, Alappuzha with four and Kannur with two have a C-section percentage of nearly 50 percent - at 48.24, 46.17 and 48.32. Unfilled vacancies at government hospitals would lead to increased workload, with anaesthetists on duty having to do extra work for hours at a stretch. This, along with poor working conditions, would further drive away the doctors from government service, adding to the vicious cycle.
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