Ludhiana: For minister’s event, patients shifted to health centre, sent back minutes later
According to civil surgeon Dr Pardeep Mohindra, it was an awareness drive to show people that patients can be admitted to this hospital; the 10-bed facility will soon be made 30-bed hospital, say officials
A few patients were shifted from the civil hospital to an urban community health centre (UCHC) for a photo op during the visit of Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh before being shifted back minutes later on Friday. The health minister was there for the inauguration of the 10-bed facility.
Three patients under treatment at the civil hospital were brought to the UCHC and after the minister visited the ward with a dozen cameras following him, the patients were taken back and the ward was locked even when the minister had not even left the event.
Sunita Devi (34), one of the three patients, had been admitted to the civil hospital on December 3. She is suffering from dengue and had a drip attached to her hand. Manju Sharma, suffering from kidney problems, complained that she had difficulty breathing. The third patient, Babli Kaur (40), was admitted five days ago after her diabetes worsened.
Dhirendra, Sunita Devi’s brother, said that around 30 minutes after the minister visited the ward, they were taken back to the civil hospital as their medicines and other arrangements were in place there.
Civil surgeon Dr Pardeep Mohindra, confirming that the patients were brought from the civil hospital, said, “It was an awareness drive to show people that patients can be admitted to this hospital.”
Meanwhile, MLA Madan Lal Bagga, accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, congratulated the people on getting a new hospital. In the first phase, this hospital will have 10 beds which later will be expanded to 30 beds. Required staff, including two medical officers, nurses, pharmacists etc., have also been deputed here from other hospitals. The health department faces a severe shortage of staff and over 40% doctors’ posts lie vacant. The district has received just 17 doctors from the newly recruited 400 doctors.
This building constructed at a cost of ₹4.25 crore was completed in 2014 and had been used as offices for health officials hitherto.
Health officials claimed that the UCHC would have a general outpatient department (OPD), emergency, dental, mother and child services, eye, X-rays and basic lab tests. Dialysis services will also be started here.
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