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Shortage of doctors ails health services in rural Sangrur
Patients in rural areas at the receiving end as 12 rural dispensaries in Sangrur being operated without doctors. In the absence of doctors, patients are forced to visit private hospitals
: Patients in the rural areas are at the receiving end in the district, the home bastion of chief minister Bhagwant Mann and two cabinet ministers, as 12 rural dispensaries are running without doctors.
In the absence of doctors, patients are forced to visit private hospitals and travel many kilometres to go to hospitals in urban areas.
According to the local health department, there are 23 rural dispensaries in Sangrur district and posts of medical officers have been lying vacant at 12 dispensaries for a few months.
These dispensaries are situated in Bhalwan, Mullowal, Meemsa, Nadampur, Mehlan, Jakhepal, Chajli, Saron, Cheema, Bhasaur, Khanauri and Kalia villages.
An official said, “Three each in the Sherpur and Kaurian block, two each in the Longowal and Moonak block and one each at the Amargarh and Bhawanigarh block are without medical officers. The local health department is trying to run these dispensaries on a makeshift basis by deploying a doctor once a week there. The rest of the days, the health services remain at standstill in these dispensaries.”
Staff shortage in urban areas too
Not only the rural areas but the health services are also dwindling in the urban areas due to a shortage of medical officers, specialists, staff nurses and lab technicians.
Officials informed that there are a total 33 health care institutions in the district, which include a district hospital, three sub-divisional hospitals, 23 rural dispensaries and six community health centres. A total of 117 posts for medical officers, 98 for specialist doctors, 156 for staff nurses and 99 posts for lab technicians are sanctioned in these all institutions.
However, out of these sanctioned posts, 67 medical officers, 50 specialist doctors, 65 staff nurses and 86 lab technicians are lying vacant.
Sangrur civil surgeon Parminder Kaur said, “The health department is planning to upgrade these 12 dispensaries into Aam Aadmi clinic. Therefore, the issues of vacant posts of medical officers will be resolved with the upgrade of dispensaries. Besides, the state health department is working to fulfil all vacant posts in the district.”
