Over 200 patients visiting the psychiatry, TB and chest and radiology departments of Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) here daily are likely to miss treatment from Monday as the three-year tenures of three senior doctors ended on Sunday.

PMCH superintendent H.K. Singh said the crisis had been aggravated because of the poll model code of conduct during which the contracts of doctors cannot be renewed.

He said the process for appointment of assistant professors in all the three departments through the Jharkhand Public Service Commission had already been initiated, though it might take some to materialise.

Principal Shailendra Ku-mar said, “Though the situation is extremely difficult, we are expecting that the state health, medical education and family welfare department will come up with a solution tomorrow.”

The pathetic condition of the psychiatry department, which is visited by over 80 patients daily, can be gauged by the fact that it remained closed for nine years between 2007 and early-2016 after the retirement of the lone faculty member-cum-head of the department, B.N. Singh. Finally, it was filled on May 6, 2016 after Sanjay Kumar was appointed on a three-year contract.

Kumar said, “We have been told by the hospital administration that we will be not relieved tomorrow.”

The fate of the radiology unit, which is visited by over 80 patients daily, also hangs in balance as the tenure of the lone senior resident, Nayan Ranjan, also expired on Sunday.

The three-year contract of the TB and chest department head Vibhuti Nath also ended on Sunday. More than 40 people visit the unit every day.

This comes at a time when the Medical Council of India (MCI) has sought a compliance report from the PMCH regarding its manpower and infrastructure shortcomings. During its inspection on March 7, the council had asked the institute to increase its MBBS seats from 50 to 100.

Singh said, “We will somehow operate the radiology department under the supervision of the head of the department of surgery, Anil Kumar, who will hold dual charge from tomorrow.”

“It will, however, be extremely difficult to operate the psychiatry and TB and chest departments which cannot function without qualified doctors,” he added.

Ranjan said, “We are facing an uncertain situation.”

Dhanbad district secretary of Indian Medical Association Sushil Kumar said, “We have repeatedly requested the state to fill up all the posts of doctors in PMCH. We are clueless how such a situation has emerged when three departments are facing the risk of closure due to lack of doctors.”