Odisha Records Highest Deaths In Country Due To Treatment By Untrained Medical Practitioners

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has recorded death of highest number of patients due to treatment by untrained healthcare practitioners in the country in 2019.

Odisha reported death of 36% of patients while undergoing treatment by untrained health practitioners against the national average of 18.3%, according to a study of economic research wing of SBI conducted in 2019. Of Odisha deaths,  30.4% were registered in government hospitals and 18.3% in private facilities.

The study revealed that 3,42,947 deaths were registered in Odisha in 2019 compared to 3,28,799 deaths in 2018. The SBI study was conducted with demographic data obtained by the last Sample Registration System (SRS) survey.

In neo-natal mortality rate, Odisha has second highest figure of 30%, next to 33% of Madhya Pradesh compared to 22% of national average.

On the brighter side, Odisha registered 15.3% deaths of patients who were attended by qualified professionals, which is lowest in the country.

As per the SBI study, Himachal Pradesh has the highest percentage of deaths in government hospitals at 51.5 pc, followed by Delhi (50.1 pc), J&K (45.1 pc) and Kerala (43.4 pc), whereas Bihar and Punjab (20.7 pc) have the lowest.

On the cause of high number of deaths due to untrained practitioners, health experts pointed at large scale vacancies in government hospitals and practice by quacks in rural areas. As per the affidavit submitted in the High Court in December last year, 44% of the doctor posts are lying vacant in district headquarter hospitals, CHCs and PHCs.

Of the 8,546 sanctioned posts including 5,838 general duty medical officers and 2,708 specialist medical officers, 3,734 posts, including 2,523 general duty medical officers and 1,211 specialist medical officers are vacant.

“Odisha’s dependency on government health services is the second-highest in the country and a vast majority of rural population may not have round-the clock access to trained personnel attending critical cases at the time of death. Since most of the trained health professionals are located around urban pockets and a common man in rural or tribal areas doesn’t have much choice, he has to go to any one available whether trained or not,” TNIE quoted additional professor of Indian Institute of Public Health Dr Bhuputra Panda as saying.