The government-run Osmania Medical College and General Hospital has two ophthalmologists, a dermatologist and a gynaecologist working in the cardiology department. Out of the 12 doctors working in the so-called super-speciality department, only four are from the cardiology discipline, three from general medicine, two from ophthalmology and one each is from dermatology and gynaecology.

This peculiar combination is due to the fact that as many as 42 out of the 48 posts of assistant professors in cardiology are lying vacant because of non-availability of qualified cardiologists.

Dr R S Rama Devi, Director of Medical Education, said they were forced to appoint doctors of other disciplines in the cardiology wing. Asked how these doctors of unrelated faculties teach the graduates and post-graduates in cardiology, Rama Devi said they had no other option as the posts were vacant and qualified doctors were not available. She said efforts were being made to accommodate as many doctors of general medicine into the cardiology department as possible. They were the only alternative available to treat heart patients.

According to Rama Devi, gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, orthopaedicians and ENT specialists were in excess to the number of sanctioned posts in the government. For example there are 121 gynaecologists in excess to the sanctioned posts in government hospitals.

The government is also in a fix as its attempt to solve the problem by increasing the seats of Doctor of Medicine in Cardiology also requires more number of cardiology doctors to teach the subject. Another major problem, according to Rama Devi, is very few students, after their specialisation in cardiology, are willing to take up the government posts as they are lured by the private hospitals offering hefty salaries. The problem will be further worsened when more private medical colleges will be opened. The remaining faculty in the government medical colleges will also leave when they get better offers.

The DME said two proposals were under the active consideration of the government - appointing doctors from other states and utilizing the services of private cardiologists on contract basis.