AURANGABAD:
After a prolonged struggle and repeated protests by the Employees'
State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) beneficiaries demanding improvement in the
infrastructure at the Waluj ESIS dispensary, a new spacious location
has been finalized for the dispensary.
The land identified for the dispensary has been sanctioned by the ESIC state medical commissioner. The existing dispensary set up on the first floor lacks infrastructure and was extremely unhygienic with its leaking walls.
Confirming that a new location has been identified, ESIC state medical commissioner Anita Sethi said, "We have finalised an alternate location for Waluj dispensary and the final draft of the agreement has been forwarded to the sub-regional office at Aurangabad."
"After we received complaints that the present building, where the Waluj dispensary has been situated, is in a dilapidated condition, a team from state ESIC visited Aurangabad to hunt for a new location. The new dispensary can be shifted to a proper hygienic place. We had shortlisted three places and finally selected one at Bajajnagar in Waluj MIDC area," said Sethi.
Aurangabad ESIC sub-regional joint director D P Undirwade said he has received the letter finalising the location and an agreement with the building owner would be signed and the dispensary would be shifted out of the old location.
"The process would take another month and the existing dispensary would be shifted in the newly proposed building on rental basis. The dispensary in the new building would be spacious with all basic requirements and would be on the ground floor considering the comfort of the patients," said Undirwade.
The overburdened staff and health services here were in disarray and it was a great cause of concern to the one lakh insured industrial workers and their three lakh family members dependent on this dispensary. The proposed new building of 1,000 square feet is situated at Indraprastha Colony opposite to Aakar Tools in Bajajnagar, Waluj.
TOI had reported in February 2014 that the existing dispensary is lying in shambles and the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) of India has failed to improve its condition. Though, hundreds of residents visit the building on a daily basis, the condition has gone from bad to worse.
"A team from state ESIC visited the city in April to find a new location for the dispensary. Though the location and infrastructure problem would be solved soon, the staff shortage problem remains unattended," said Prakash Jadhav, general secretary, Aurangabad district E.S.I. Beneficiaries Employees' Association.
The dispensary handles as many as 800-900 patients on out-patient department basis. The dispensary had 23 sanctioned posts, including doctors, in October 2007. Today, it has only eight employees, including three doctors, 2 pharmacists and 3 class IV employees.
"The recruitment for the dispensary was done in 2005, when the medical facility was started, for coverage of 1,478 insured persons' family units (IPFU). Today, the dispensary serves one lakh insured industrial workers and about three lakh family members," said Jadhav.
In-charge medical officer Prithviraj Rathod said, "As per the ESIC guidelines for establishment of dispensary, three doctors should be appointed for a dispensary with coverage of 5,000-10,000 insured persons' family units. Normally, one medical officer is supposed to examine about 60 patients per day. But unfortunately, at Waluj ESIS dispensary, one doctor is examining 100 patients per day."
He added that there is a requirement to set up 10 dispensaries. "We have made representations repeatedly to the medical superintendent, Aurangabad regional head, for this but to no avail," he said.
Medical superintendent, Aurangabad regional head ESIC, Vijay Nakhate agreed the dispensary is falling short of staff and a proposal in this regard has been forwarded to the higher authorities.
The land identified for the dispensary has been sanctioned by the ESIC state medical commissioner. The existing dispensary set up on the first floor lacks infrastructure and was extremely unhygienic with its leaking walls.
Confirming that a new location has been identified, ESIC state medical commissioner Anita Sethi said, "We have finalised an alternate location for Waluj dispensary and the final draft of the agreement has been forwarded to the sub-regional office at Aurangabad."
"After we received complaints that the present building, where the Waluj dispensary has been situated, is in a dilapidated condition, a team from state ESIC visited Aurangabad to hunt for a new location. The new dispensary can be shifted to a proper hygienic place. We had shortlisted three places and finally selected one at Bajajnagar in Waluj MIDC area," said Sethi.
Aurangabad ESIC sub-regional joint director D P Undirwade said he has received the letter finalising the location and an agreement with the building owner would be signed and the dispensary would be shifted out of the old location.
"The process would take another month and the existing dispensary would be shifted in the newly proposed building on rental basis. The dispensary in the new building would be spacious with all basic requirements and would be on the ground floor considering the comfort of the patients," said Undirwade.
The overburdened staff and health services here were in disarray and it was a great cause of concern to the one lakh insured industrial workers and their three lakh family members dependent on this dispensary. The proposed new building of 1,000 square feet is situated at Indraprastha Colony opposite to Aakar Tools in Bajajnagar, Waluj.
TOI had reported in February 2014 that the existing dispensary is lying in shambles and the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) of India has failed to improve its condition. Though, hundreds of residents visit the building on a daily basis, the condition has gone from bad to worse.
"A team from state ESIC visited the city in April to find a new location for the dispensary. Though the location and infrastructure problem would be solved soon, the staff shortage problem remains unattended," said Prakash Jadhav, general secretary, Aurangabad district E.S.I. Beneficiaries Employees' Association.
The dispensary handles as many as 800-900 patients on out-patient department basis. The dispensary had 23 sanctioned posts, including doctors, in October 2007. Today, it has only eight employees, including three doctors, 2 pharmacists and 3 class IV employees.
"The recruitment for the dispensary was done in 2005, when the medical facility was started, for coverage of 1,478 insured persons' family units (IPFU). Today, the dispensary serves one lakh insured industrial workers and about three lakh family members," said Jadhav.
In-charge medical officer Prithviraj Rathod said, "As per the ESIC guidelines for establishment of dispensary, three doctors should be appointed for a dispensary with coverage of 5,000-10,000 insured persons' family units. Normally, one medical officer is supposed to examine about 60 patients per day. But unfortunately, at Waluj ESIS dispensary, one doctor is examining 100 patients per day."
He added that there is a requirement to set up 10 dispensaries. "We have made representations repeatedly to the medical superintendent, Aurangabad regional head, for this but to no avail," he said.
Medical superintendent, Aurangabad regional head ESIC, Vijay Nakhate agreed the dispensary is falling short of staff and a proposal in this regard has been forwarded to the higher authorities.
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