Health minister inaugurates new block at Faridkot hospital
Health minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Thursday formally inaugurated the new block at the local civil hospital.The block will have gynaecology and paediatrics specialties. The health authorities had shifted the OPD of the two specialties to the new building months ago without any formal inauguration.
Health minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Thursday formally inaugurated the new block at the local civil hospital.The block will have gynaecology and paediatrics specialties. The health authorities had shifted the OPD of the two specialties to the new building months ago without any formal inauguration.
The block that has come up at a cost of Rs 3 crore has a 30-bed facility. But the two-storey building wears a deserted look because of the acute shortage of medical and paramedical staff.
The emergency room lies locked, so are most of the other rooms. Beds in most of the rooms are lying unoccupied. Reason: there is only one post of gynaecologist in the civil hospital. The only post of a paediatrician also fell vacant as the doctor concerned was promoted.
There is another child specialist in the hospital, who has been assigned other important work besides attending to the OPD, said a source.
Hospital lacks staff
The hospital that is supposed to have a 100-bed capacity is currently running with about 50 beds owing to the shortage of medical and paramedical staff besides infrastructure.
According to sources, there are 26 posts of medical officers (19 specialists and seven non-specialists). But currently, there are only 13 doctors in. Eight posts of specialists and five of non-specialists are lying vacant, claimed a source.
Three specialists -- a psychiatrist, an eye specialist and another from the medicine specialty -- were transferred during the latest mass transfer.
According to sources, 29 posts of staff nurses are lying vacant out of the sanctioned 44. There are four posts of nursing sisters of which two are lying vacant.
Civil surgeon Dr Baldev Singh Sahota admitted there was an acute shortage of doctors and paramedical staff. "We want more doctors and nursing staff and are hopeful of getting them soon. We have intimated the authorities and they are trying their best to provide more staff."
'Govt committed to providing best health services'
Health minister Madan Mohan Mittal, speaking at Faridkot after inaugurating the new block of the civil hospital, said, "The government is committed to providing best health services to people. The new child and mother care facility would be a boon for the people. It will be made fully air-conditioned and modern machines would be made available here."
He said, "Fifty beds will be added to the medical college and hospital at Faridkot. The health department has recruited 300 doctors and they are being appointed soon. The government has also a proposal to recruit 134 ayurvedic doctors, 550 staff nurses besides 500 more doctors," Mittal said.
The health minister on Thursday also inaugurated the new building of the community health centre at Sadak.