Overburdened Anaesthesiologists complain of shortage of 1.5 lakh personnel of their ilk

World Anaesthesia Day on Oct 16

Jamshedpur, Oct 15: The Anesthesiologist provides continuous medical care before, during, and after operation to permit the surgeons to perform surgeries; sometimes quite challenging that could otherwise cause substantial threats to the patient’s survival. 

Anaesthesiologists are at forefront of COVID crisis, from intubating ventilator tubes into Covid patients to treating the most critical cases admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) & Covid wards even as they face increased risks due to specific nature of their work.

With World World Anaesthesia Day, also known in some countries as National Anaesthesia Day or Ether Day, being celebrated on 16th October to commemorate the first successful demonstration of diethyl ether anesthesia on 16th October 1846 by Dr. William T. G. Morton, anaesthesiologists in India are overburdened due to a surge in the number of patients and are facing an increased risk of infection to themselves and their families. Moreover, like others, they also have to manage mental health challenges as the pandemic wreaks havoc on lives all over.

The Anaesthesiologists whether they work in ICU or in operation theatre have shown unparalleled commitment even laying down their lives for the cause. Till now approx 525 doctors have lost their life, the Anaesthesiologists suffering the maximum casualties.

“India is presently short of nearly 1.5 lakh anaesthesiologists, with only about 16,500 anaesthesiologists working in the country presently. This number is quite less when we compare with the western world. America has 5 times our number with lesser population. To fill this gap government must increase the number of post graduate seats immediately,” said Dr Sharad Kumar, Secretary, Bihar and Jharkhand Society of Anaesthesiologists.

“We are overburdened due to a steep rise in the number of covid patients. Emergency surgeries, Cancer surgeries, Caesarean operations, orthopedic surgeries etc. are also being addressed in this burdened state of affairs. Routine surgeries as well have been taken up by many centers,” added Dr Sharad.

He further said that the central government should take up the matter and increase seats in the medical college at the earliest else the whole system will crash.

“State President Dr B K Prasad , Secretary Dr Sharad Kumar and Treasurer Dr Neelam Sinha along with the members of JSA President Dr Srividhya, Secretary Dr Abhishek Chatterjee and President elect Dr Umesh Prasad are continuously working for the uplift of the society and spreading the awareness about the good job being done by our fraternity which is mostly hidden from limelight,” Dr Sharad signed off.

The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists celebrates the World Anaesthesia Day annually with over 134 societies representing anaesthesiologists from around 150 countries taking part in this event. This year the theme of celebration and rumination is Occupational well being of the Anaesthesiologists.