Considering the effect on patient care due to health workers going on strike for the last four days, the state government has given instructions to the health department to set up an alternative system. Following this, the Health Department of the Nashik Zilla Parishad (ZP) has made preparations to take the services of private doctors in rural areas and to enlist the help of medical college trainees to meet the urgent need for health workers.
There are 112 primary health centres and 522 sub centres in the district. Nurses, health workers, maids, and ward boys in these health centres have gone on strike. In the health centres, only the medical officers are in charge, and in the sub centres, the burden is on the social health officers. However, District Health Officer Dr Harshal Nehete has claimed that the rural health system has not been affected much as the contract employees, drivers, and sweepers of the National Rural Health Mission are present at work. However, considering the possibility of the collapse of the health system in rural and semi-urban areas if the strike continues for a few more days, the health department has given instructions to make alternative arrangements.
Ambulance service continues
Contract drivers have been appointed on the ambulances, and they are not involved in the strike. As a result, women admitted for childbirth with serious and urgent conditions are transported on a regular basis.